Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst is demanding results from seventh-round pick Trey Smack as training camp struggles and a looming preseason opener threaten the rookie’s roster spot.
The early returns from practices at training camp can make many fans and commenters on social media overreact to mistakes they see either from video online or reports from beat writers.
It only makes sense then, given the way the kicking game has imploded for the Green Bay Packers in recent seasons, that sixth-round pick Trey Smack is under the microscope this summer at training camp.
Smack has not been consistent to start training camp, and general manager Brian Gutekunst had serious words for the rookie before the preseason is set to start next week.
The Packers will only have so much patience for Smack, who Gutekunst traded up for in this year's draft.
"My patience—I'd like to have more of it, I always would," Gutekunst said, via Zach Jacobson. “ “I think we're going to have a pretty good football team this year, but if you're going to make it and be a part of it, you have to perform."
Smack struggled during OTAs this spring. He started out training camp going 3-of-5 on field goal attempts in training camp. It's a hard transition for the SEC kicker to acclimate to the conditions of Green Bay.
On Wednesday, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur called Smack's transition a "work in progress."
"Gonna be a work in progress," LaFleur said. "This is not our first time with a rookie kicker. I know there’s gonna be some good and some he wants back."
How much patience the Packers have for Smack remains to be seen.
Kicking woes played a big part in Green Bay's early exit in the playoffs in January. Kicker Brandon McManus missed both of his field goal attempts and one extra point in a 31-27 loss to the Chicago Bears.
The Packers released McManus in May, and he's still a free agent.
Smack is the only place kicker on the Packers’ 90-man roster this summer. If Smack continues to have issues, Green Bay could send another warning by bringing in another kicker to try out for the job.
The Packers have one week until their preseason opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Aug. 13. It'll be important for Smack to make a strong impression against the Steelers.
