If you have some confusion about the title, then let me explain. Green Bay Packers special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia doesn’t call special teams, well, special teams. Nope – he calls it “we-fense.” That is something Coach Bisaccia brought with him to Green Bay in 2022 and it continues to be we-fense in 2025. All of this is to say that we have reached our training camp primer for the Packers special teams…erm, I mean, we-fense.
Packers training camp is just a week and a half away! If you just so happened to have missed primers on the Packers offense or defense, that’s okay! Just click the links here: offense and defense.
Bisaccia’s We-Fence
According to Sports Illustrated, the Packers finished last season 22nd in their special teams rankings. However, that ranking was affected by one play. A Bears punt return touchdown in that last week of the season hurt the Packers ranking. If that play was removed, they would have finished 14th and would have even been better if Brandon McManus was the kicker for the early part of the season.
Last year’s early kicking woes were pretty rough and were a reason for the early season losses to the Eagles in Brazil and the Vikings at home where Brayden Narveson missed two field goals.
All of that to say, the Packers special teams did improve in 2024.
Training Camp Could Be Big For Daniel Whelan
Last year, Whelan was my lock of training camp. This year, I wouldn’t say lock, but pretty close to it. Whelan’s net punting average actually went up in comparison to 2023. It rose from 39.7 to 40.2. However, as the season went on his ability to pin the opponent’s offense within the 20-yard line dropped a whole ten percent.
Now this drop in punting efficiency isn’t anything new. It happens to most punters as the year goes on, especially as it begins to cool. Reminder: Whelan plays half of the games in the frozen tundra. I think it’s something to be aware of more than a concern. His ability to still be a weapon for the Packers as a punter is still there.
And Whelan will be looking to receive an extension. This could be a make it break it type of season for the young punter.
Long Snapper?
Last season, there was sort of a long snapper competition. Matt Orzech didn’t have nearly as much of a challenge as I thought he would to win the starting job over Peter Bowden out of Wisconsin. Orzech’s long snapping was a welcomed improvement in 2024. I believe that Matt Orzech will continue to be the Packers long snapper in 2025, but if his struggles return, I doubt Gutey delays in signing additional competition.
Training Camp Kickers
Last year was an absolute mess with regards to Green Bay’s kicking situation. Last year, the Packers had Greg Joseph, Anders Carlson, James Turner, and Alex Hale at one point in training camp and leading up to training camp. Only Alex Hale is still around and he is the Packers international player. He’s from Australia.
The kicking competition was gross to say the least. Carlson and Joseph couldn’t make a kick whatsoever. So the Packers cut ties with both of those guys and signed Brayden Narveson-and he wasn’t the guy, either.
The kicking situation finally sorted itself out after the Packers brought in Brandon McManus. First game for McManus, he nails a game winner with zeroes on the clock against the Texans.
Needless to say, there shouldn’t be any kicking controversies in this year’s training camp. I still hold my breath each time the Packers go attempt a field goal.
So, Where’s The Training Camp Headline?
When it comes to the Packers three specialists, expect no headlines. This is exactly what you want to hear. If you are getting headlines about a punter, long snapper, or place kicker, that’s usually a problem. No news is good news here.
That being said, we-fense is more than just the specialists. The punt and kick return game matters greatly and there is some question as of who will be the Packers’ primary returners. At the end of last season, Keisean Nixon made it known that he was done with kick-off returns. He has since said that is no longer the case.
I, however, do not expect Jayden Reed to continue being the punt returner. But who could that be? Savion Williams, anyone?
Either way…
Go Pack Go!
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Damon is a diehard, fully-immersed cheesehead who currently lives in southern Missouri. He teaches at a local high school and has a family YouTube channel about all things Packers. You can follow him on twitter at @packersfamily and on YouTube at The Packers Family.
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The post Training Camp Primer ’25: Focus on the Packers ST (We-fense) first appeared on PackersTalk.com Blog Posts and Podcasts.