Matt LaFleur Stresses Patience With Trey Smack Amid Packers’ Ongoing Kicking Questions
Every missed field goal by Trey Smack is being scrutinized at Packers training camp, and Matt LaFleur understands why.
After years of uncertainty at kicker and Brandon McManus’ costly misses in last season’s playoff loss, Green Bay is once again searching for a long-term answer at one of football’s most important positions. Early camp results have been inconsistent for the rookie, but LaFleur isn’t ready to draw conclusions based on practice kicks.
Instead, the Packers coach is emphasizing resilience and trusting the evaluation process.
Matt LaFleur Downplays Training Camp Field-Goal Results
One of the more unusual storylines from the first week of camp involved the uncertainty surrounding several of Smack’s kicks.
During Sunday’s practice, local officials initially stood beneath the goalposts to signal makes and misses. After one 39-yard attempt appeared to sail through the flag atop the left upright and was ruled no good, LaFleur briefly spoke with the officials before the drill continued.
On Monday, officials were not stationed beneath the uprights during field-goal periods, making it difficult for observers to determine whether some kicks were good.
LaFleur made it clear the lack of public clarity was intentional.
“I just wanted to make you guys work for your money. You guys decipher.”
When asked why keeping practice results private mattered, LaFleur dismissed the significance.
“What’s the big deal, anyways?”
While reporters and fans naturally want to track every make and miss, LaFleur believes training camp kicks are only part of the evaluation process.
“I think the real tests will come in those preseason games and then, obviously, into the regular season.”
Trey Smack Shows Both Promise and Inconsistency
Smack’s live kicking opportunities got off to a delayed start.
With long snapper Matt Orzech beginning camp on the physically unable to perform list, the Packers did not conduct field-goal periods during the first two practices. Green Bay later signed veteran long snapper Cal Adomitis, allowing the rookie kicker to begin taking live reps.
Through his first two days of kicking drills, Smack made 8 of 13 field-goal attempts.
Made Field Goals
- 28 yards
- 33 yards
- 33 yards
- 40 yards
- 42 yards
- 43 yards
- 48 yards
- 51 yards
Missed Field Goals
- 33 yards
- 39 yards
- 45 yards
- 52 yards
- 55 yards
Monday’s practice perfectly illustrated the roller-coaster nature of his start.
Smack went 3-for-5 during a field-goal period before hitting the left upright on a 52-yard attempt at the end of Jordan Love’s two-minute drill. He answered with consecutive makes, including a 51-yarder that ended practice on a positive note.
The response was what impressed LaFleur most.
“For any young player or any player in general, there’s going to be some trying times and you have to show the resiliency. That’s one of the keys to being successful.”
Packers Coach Sees Mental Toughness as the Key Evaluation
For kickers, talent is rarely the issue.
The ability to bounce back from failure often determines whether a player succeeds at the NFL level, and LaFleur believes Smack is beginning to show that trait.
After drilling the final kick of practice, Smack celebrated with holder and punter Daniel Whelan, a visible sign of relief after an uneven session.
The rookie kept his assessment simple.
“It’s a good way to bounce back.”
Smack added:
“It’s kind of my job, so got to do my job.”
That mindset is especially important given the attention surrounding the position in Green Bay.
Packers’ Kicking Problems Extend Beyond Trey Smack
The interest in Smack isn’t just about a rookie finding his footing.
It’s about a franchise that has struggled to establish long-term consistency at kicker in recent years.
The pressure intensified after McManus missed three field goals in Green Bay’s playoff loss, a performance that helped fuel the organization’s decision to invest a draft pick in Smack this spring.
When the Packers traded up to select the former Florida kicker in the sixth round, general manager Brian Gutekunst initially suggested a competition could develop between Smack, McManus and Lucas Havrisik.
That never materialized.
McManus was released in May. Havrisik was later waived after Green Bay signed German-born kicker Lenny Krieg. Krieg was then released when the team needed a long snapper, leaving Smack as the lone kicker on the roster.
While there is no direct competition in camp, the reality is that every unsigned kicker remains a potential challenger if Green Bay decides it needs another option.
Matt LaFleur Confident Trey Smack Can Handle the Pressure
Despite the early inconsistencies, LaFleur does not appear concerned.
The coach acknowledged the spotlight surrounding Smack but believes pressure comes with every NFL job.
“I think he’s got plenty of pressure on him just on a day to day.”
LaFleur added:
“That’s why we’re talking about this for so long, right? Because there’s a lot of interest and there’s going to be pressure no matter what position you play in this league.”
Most importantly, the Packers coach expressed confidence in the rookie’s ability to work through the inevitable growing pains.
“I’m confident that he will work his way through it.”
Trey Smack’s NFL Transition Remains a Work in Progress
Smack has pointed to several adjustments during his transition from college football to the NFL, including different footballs, narrower hash marks and working with a new snapping operation after building chemistry with Orzech during the offseason.
He also acknowledged the geographical change from Florida to Wisconsin, though weather conditions during camp have been relatively favorable.
For now, the results reflect a player with obvious NFL leg talent but one still searching for consistency.
That reality makes the next few weeks critical. As LaFleur noted, preseason games will serve as a much better measuring stick than training camp practices.
Until then, the Packers are betting that patience, not panic, is the best approach to solving a kicking position that has generated questions for several years.
