Fresh off a record-breaking season, the Green Bay Packers' elite punter, Daniel Whelan, has emerged as a critical defensive weapon, capable of flipping the field and pinning opponents deep in their own territory.
We're officially 7 days from the start of the 2026 NFL season for the Green Bay Packers. Whether you're ready or not, football season is here.
The Packers kick off their 2026 season against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, Sept. 13, from U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Talk about pressure. The Vikings are certainly in a transitional place as a franchise, but getting going against an NFC North foe ratchets up the intensity of this season from the get-go.
It's a big season for the Packers. There's a belief that they're in a Super Bowl window right now, which means every single game is important. That means the intensity will be there in Week 2 at MetLife Stadium against the New York Jets and it will certainly be there in Week 3 against the Atlanta Falcons, when the Packers will play at Lambeau Field for the first time in 2026.
There's going to be a lot of proverbial ink spilled on this 2026 season and we here at PackersRoundtable hope that you spend as much time as possible with us talking about the ins and outs and ups and downs of the Packers.
As we prepare for the 2026 season, though, we're going to kick things off with a rankings series looking at the Top 50 Packers heading into the 2025 season.
At No. 7 we have punter Daniel Whelan
Ranking the Top 50 Packers Heading Into 2026: No. 7, Daniel Whelan
Nov 23, 2025; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Green Bay Packers punter Daniel Whelan (19) reacts after a fumble recovery on a muffed punt by the Minnesota Vikings during the second half at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Kayla Wolf-Imagn Images.Punters are people, too, and in Daniel Whelan, the Packers have one of the best punters in the NFL.
It may not be a "sexy" position, but anyone who knows anything about the game of football knows how important the game within the game can be.
Whelan has a cannon for a leg and he's essentially become a 12th defender for the Packers. When a drive stalls out deep in their own zone, Whelan has the kind of leg that can completely flip the field and allow the defense to play with their ears pinned back and the opposing offense in the shadow of their own goal post.
He's been the Packers' punter for the past three seasons and has averaged 47.8 yards per punt and 41.3 net yards per punt. To put that in perspective, first-team All-Pro punter Jordan Stout of the Baltimore Ravens averaged 50.1 yards per punt last season and 44.9 net yards per punt.
2025 Synopsis:
Whelan was in contention to be an All-Pro last season. He averaged a career best 51.7 yards per punt, 44.3 net yards per punt and had 18 punts downed within the opponent's 20 yard line.
Whelan's 51.7 yards per punt in 2025 ranked first in the league, third in single-season NFL history, and set a Packers record by over five yards. Corey Bojorquez averaged 46.5 yards per punt in 2021.
Notable Quotables:
"I mean, it was all fun, but it's all last year's news. The hard part is going to be doing it over and over and over." - Daniel Whelan
Projected Role in 2026:
Whelan will be a first-team All-Pro punter in 2026.
Previous Rankings:
