Coming into the Green Bay Packers preseason opener, there was a healthy level of concern around rookie kicker Trey Smack. Fans were understandably burdened by the way things fell apart with Brandon McManus at the end of the 2025 season. Such an epic collapse served as a reminder of the importance of a reliable kicking game and why the franchise could be in trouble if Smack didn't pan out as expected. The rookie was missing kicks consistently early in camp and left little reason for a healthy level of pressure and attention in the preseason opener.
Smack responded by going 3/3 on field goal attempts, hitting a 58-yarder that reminded fans of what a weapon the rookie could prove to be. It should be noted here as well that Smack hit another 58-yard kick earlier in the game that was wiped away due to a personal foul call that gave the offense a second life.
While only three were official, fans saw Smack take the field and hit four kicks through the uprights with seeming ease. The fact that two of these were from long distance helps wipe away concerns and should push the confidence of the rookie in the right direction after a bit of a difficult go in training camp.
For the Packers, this serves as an answer as to whether or not there was a need to add further veteran competition. Smack answered the pressure in the exact way you'd hope to see the young player respond and left little reason to believe the franchise needs to consider turning the page.
Trey Smack Wipes Away Any Remaining Packers Concerns with Thrilling Preseason Debut
Camp reps can be misleading, with last season's camp for Brandon McManus giving no hint of the collapse that was to come. While fans are understandable going to be reactive to such an important position, there is now reason to trust in the rookie and believe that the franchise made the right decision in drafting the young starter without bringing in any notable competition.
Looking at winners from the opening preseason loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, there is no bigger accomplishment than Smack announcing his arrival. Rarely have preseason kicks had this level of pressure when you consider the camp struggles and the understandable concerns lingering for Packer fans based on how things with McManus ended.
There wasn't any hint of nervous energy from Smack, who hit both long-range kicks easily and didn't show any concerning signs. No question, the biggest win from the preseason opener is finding a reason to believe in a kicking game that was a consistent question mark through the early days of training camp. Now, Green Bay can breathe a sigh of relief with confidence that Smack was the right answer.
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