Time To Reboot Kicking Game

Even before the Packers changed coordinators from Maurice Drayton to Rich Bisaccia, it felt like the perfect time to reboot the entire kicking game. Mason Crosby’s bloated contract, Steven Wirtel’s terrible performance in the playoffs, and Corey Bojorquez’ free agent status should make it easy for general manager Brian Gutekunst to bring in three new specialists.

Crosby is arguably the greatest kicker in franchise history and a lock to be inducted into the Packers Hall of Fame, but all good things must come to an end. The soon-to-be 38-year-old missed nine field goals this season, and his inability to consistently reach the end zone forced the Packers to cover 54% of his kickoffs. That was one of the highest numbers in the league. And while there’s no question that less-than-perfect snaps and holds played a part in Crosby’s struggles, that’s another reason to move on. Younger kickers roll with the punches better than veterans, who tend to be more demanding and set in their ways. They also cost a lot less money, something that’s extremely important to a team in cap hell.

Wirtel punched his ticket out of town when he got run over by linebacker Jordan Willis on the play 49ers fans now refer to as “The Block.” But even before that embarrassing moment in the divisional round of the playoffs, Wirtel had done little to validate the decision to have him replace Hunter Bradley after Week 7. It shouldn’t be hard to find a new long snapper. In fact, the personnel department has proven to be excellent when it comes to signing long snappers. Rick Lovato (Eagles), Taybor Pepper (49ers), and Zach Triner (Buccaneers) are all doing well after being released by the Packers in the past few years. Hopefully, the arrival of Bisaccia will keep the next good long snapper from departing Green Bay.

Bojorquez started out like Hall of Famer Ray Guy, but he finished like just another guy. That inconsistency, coupled with his problems as a holder, explained why Buffalo made no effort to keep him after the 2020 season. Could the Packers do worse than Bojorquez? Of course, but they could also do better. The Bills signed journeyman Matt Haack last March, and while his numbers weren’t as impressive as his predecessor’s, he proved to be more consistent when the weather turned cold, and he was a much better holder. Still, of the three specialists, Bojorquez is the one most likely to return. He does have talent, and based on last offseason, he’s unlikely to attract much interest from other teams.


After all that went wrong during the regular season, and especially against San Francisco in the divisional round of the playoffs, the Packers should want a fresh start on special teams. They’ll have the opportunity to make that happen in the coming weeks and months. All Gutekunst needs to do is find the right players to go along with his shiny new coordinator.

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