That's the end of that.
Trey Smack's summer hasn't gone as smoothly as the Green Bay Packers would've hoped, but general manager Brian Gutekunst has spoken repeatedly about the need for patience. They believe Smack's talent will eventually translate into consistency, which is why he was already the overwhelming favorite to win the kicking job this summer.
His performance in the preseason opener all but seals it. The rookie went a perfect 4-for-4 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, including two 58-yard conversions.
One of them won't show up on the stat sheet, but only because the Packers accepted an unnecessary roughness penalty to give them a first down. It had no bearing on Smack's kick, which he booted down the middle of the goalposts with room to spare.
That's the potential the Packers see in Smack, and there's surely no chance they cut him now.
Trey Smack likely just ended the Packers' kicking uncertainty with preseason performance
No, one preseason game doesn't remove all of the concerns from training camp. But Gutekunst keeps stressing the need for patience, something he learned from Ted Thompson. This performance from Smack will reinforce Gutekunst's belief that he's their long-term kicker.
"If you're gonna take a kicker, particularly that high, I think you better have some patience, right? It's a premium pick," Gutekunst told Cheesehead TV this week. "A lot of these guys will go through some struggles. That's the nature of this thing in the NFL."
Gutekunst admitted that there will be "some storms along the way" with a young kicker. Doesn't sound like someone ready to move on from Smack, and his perfect night in Pittsburgh just backs up the Packers' belief in his talent.
Even if Smack wobbles again in the remaining preseason games, it would seemingly take something drastic for the Packers to move on.
He's the only kicker on the 53-man roster for a reason. The Packers believe in him. Of course, the team could bring in a veteran who fails to make another roster, as they did with Brayden Narveson two years ago. Smack is effectively competing with every other kicker who will become available on roster cutdown day.
Rightly or wrongly, Smack will be Green Bay's Week 1 kicker.
Gutekunst traded away two draft picks to get him. That's how much they believed in him. But it's performances like the one in Pittsburgh on Thursday night that will give the Packers confidence that they made the correct call.
And maybe it was. The rookie has struggled to find consistency at practice, but he's now passed his two biggest tests. Smack was almost perfect in front of a packed Lambeau Field for Family Night, and he's now delivered big-time in a road preseason game.
Converting two 58-yard field goals is impressive. Smack made them look easy.
He's far from the finished product. Don't be surprised if the inconsistency returns at practice or if Smack has a shakier performance next week in Denver. That's bound to happen. He's a rookie, and it will show.
You may believe the Packers should've signed a veteran who has been there and done it before, especially for an all-in team with Super Bowl dreams. And that's totally fair. Daniel Carlson is available and could offer more stability.
It's a valid argument, and one that's hard to disagree with.
But the Packers don't view it that way. They believe in Smack, and after emphatically passing his first preseason test, it's time to put a bow on Green Bay's kicking conversation.
It's over.
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