One of the defining stories of the early weeks of Green Bay Packers training camp was consistent misses from rookie kicker Trey Smack. It was alarming enough to begin to look around the league and wonder whether or not the Packers could be searching to add a veteran to compete with the unproven rookie. Fast forward past the first two preseason games, and Smack has wiped away every last one of these concerns, energizing the position by hitting every one of his preseason attempts, including three long-range bombs.
Only two of the 55+ attempts would count, with a penalty wiping away one of the impressive makes. Still, in preseason, the impression has been undeniable, as Smack has taken away every last concern hitting kicks consistently while flashing incredible range. Coming off a frustrating year with veteran, Brandon McManus, it is a needed sense of relief for a position that authored the team's postseason exit a season ago.
Smack has answered every possible question starting in the first week of preseason, when the pressure was undeniably high. The Packers had watched Smack struggle in camp, and there was a clear level of questioning,with a bad outing being more than enough reason for the franchise to make a move.
The rookie looked perfectly at home nailing a long-distance kick and hitting another one that didn't count due to the aforementioned penalty. It simply cannot be overstated how much pressure was on Smack in this game, and there were zero signs of it, with the rookie being perfect in both of his first two games.
Packers Have Every Reason to Trust Rookie Kick Trey Smack After Impressive Preseason
As much as some fans might dislike the reality of the situation, kickers decide games consistently, and Smack is already proving he is up for the task. While the Florida product is in his rookie season, it is fair to believe if last year's playoff appearance had come with McManus and Smack swapped, the Packers would've advanced in the first round and gone who knows how far behind Jordan Love, who was playing the best football of his career.
No matter the past, there is no question that the future at the position is now cemented after the early days of camp appearing to push the franchise in the wrong direction. Smack has stabilized the situation and left every reason to trust the Packers made the right decision.
Another piece of excitement with this development is the ability to reach parts of the field that were before impossible. Green Bay has to only get past just midfield to consider itself in reasonable scoring position due to Smack's incredible range. This has a chance to flip games and has brought an undeniable level of excitement as the regular season draws closer.
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