Even after the Green Bay Packers traded away two picks to move up for Trey Smack, nobody expected Brandon McManus to depart so soon.
Smack may have moved into pole position, but many expected a training camp competition at the very least. Instead, the Packers swiftly moved on from the veteran and entered the Smack era.
Speaking to reporters this week, head coach Matt LaFleur explained the decision.
"I think it was only fair to Brandon and to our football team to make the move now," said LaFleur. "I think we were just trying to put Trey in the best position possible moving forward, and he's going to get the bulk of it."
That suggests the Packers had already made up their minds on McManus, and Smack is the guy. Lucas Havrisik remains in Green Bay and is a player to watch, especially if Smack struggles, but LaFleur's comments about Smack receiving the "bulk" of the reps stand out.
That was true during the first OTA practice open to reporters. According to Bill Huber of Packers On SI, Smack handled all of the kicking duties while Havrisik didn't kick once.
Packers have gone all-in on Trey Smack, but it piles on the pressure
The Packers' moves to this point, plus LaFleur's comments, indicate that Smack is their kicker.
In theory, that clarity should ease some of the rookie's nerves. He won't have to look over his shoulder as much as if he were in a 50/50 battle. But in some ways, it actually cranks up the pressure even more. The Packers' experienced veteran is gone. It's now Smack's job to lose, and the team needs him.
It will put every one of his kicks under the spotlight this summer. If he experiences a tough stretch, you know McManus' name will immediately come up in LaFleur's press conferences.
The Packers have rolled the dice, just as they did with Anders Carlson in 2023. They didn't provide much competition for him that summer, a lesson they quickly learned for 2024.
But unless Havrisik is there to provide true competition, which the early signs at OTAs point against, they are risking making a similar mistake.
Mason Crosby broke down why he has more confidence in Smack than Carlson, and he's 100 percent right. While speaking on his show for the Wisconsin Sports Radio Network in April, Crosby noted that Smack was the "best kicker in this draft," which Carlson wasn't, adding that Smack doesn't have some of the mechanical concerns with his kicks that Carlson did.
Smack has the skill set. There's no doubting that.
It's why the move makes more sense this time around, but the physical part of the game is one thing. Kicking is also a mental battle. That's why even some of the highest-rated kickers coming out of college, like 2016 second-rounder Roberto Aguayo, who is no longer in the league, haven't panned out.
The Packers have made it clear Smack is their guy, but the spotlight is now truly on. They've opted for clarity, which makes sense, but they have also unintentionally cranked up the pressure on their rookie. Not creating a true competition is a risky strategy, and one that didn't go to plan when they last tried it three years ago.
Add us as a preferred source on Google