Packers Coach Shares Insight on Selection of Trey Smack

The Green Bay Packers were aggressive in the draft, trading their two seventh-round picks to get into the sixth round for Florida kicker Trey Smack.

Green Bay's special teams issues are well-documented over the years, and starting kicker Brandon McManus struggled in the 2025 season.

McManus hit 24 of his 30 field goals and 32 of his 33 extra points. He also missed two field goals and an extra point in their Wild Card loss to the Chicago Bears.

While McManus had a down year, the Packers still have him on the roster, and he will compete with Smack and Lucas Havrisik for the starting kicker position. 

Green Bay's new special teams coordinator Cam Achord commented on the selection of Smack, stating it was, "a collaborative effort ... It's not just projecting their 1st year but what they can be in Year 2, 3, 4."

Smack was a reliable kicker over his three years as a starter with the Gators. In his sophomore campaign, he hit all 29 of his extra point attempts and 17 of his 21 field goal attempts.

He followed that up in his junior year by hitting all 44 of his extra point attempts and 18 of his 21 field goal attempts.

Smack was impressive again in his senior season, hitting 27 of his 28 extra point attempts and 18 of 22 field goal attempts. 

"Straight ball accuracy… his ball not moving was definitely a big part of it," Achord said on what stood out about Smack.

The Packers making the right decision at kicker and having a much-improved special teams is pivotal to making a Super Bowl run in the 2026 season. McManus still has two years remaining on the three-year $15.3 million deal.

Havrisik also has a shot in the competition after appearing in three games for Green Bay in the 2025 season while McManus was out with an injury. In those three games, he hit all four of his field goal attempts and seven of nine extra point attempts.

The Packers will need Achord to lead the special teams unit to a drastic improvement for them to bring the Lombardi Trophy home in the 2026 season.

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