This is the last in a series of articles providing an in-depth analysis of each position group on the Green Bay Packers for 2024. Today we will analyze the special teams. The grades will be for each unit as a whole, but we will give an analysis of each player, their strengths and weaknesses and where they stand heading into the offseason. Here are the grades for the Packers special teams in 2024. The marks are based on a combination of expectations and performance.
You can see our final grade for the quarterbacks here and for the defensive line here. The running backs are here, the linebackers here, tight ends here, defensive ends here, the offensive line here, the secondary here and the wide receivers here.
Final Grades for the 2024 Packers Special Teams: Kicker and Long Snapper
The Packers started the season with Brayden Narveson doing the kicking. He lasted all of six games and made only 70.6 percent of his field goals. Narveson was near the bottom of the league in accuracy before the Packers let him go.
They brought in veteran Brandon McManus who gave the Packers their first consistent kicker since Mason Crosby departed after the 2022 season. McManus made game winning kicks in his first two games with the team. He finished the season by making all 30 PATs and making 20-of-21 field goals.
McManus will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason, but GM Brian Gutekunst has already said he wants to bring him back if possible.
Long snapper, Matt Orzech was also inconsistent. He didn’t make any major mistakes like snapping the ball over the head of a punter or the holder, but he could be more precise.
Punter and Holder
Daniel Whelan was the punter and the holder for the Packers for the second straight season. He did a very good job as a holder on kicks.
As a punter, Whelan averaged a 46.1-yards per kick. He also placed 22 kicks inside the 20 and had five touchbacks. The punting average is impressive considering the team plays outdoors in the cold and windy conditions of Lambeau Field in November and December.
Final Grades for the 2024 Packers Special Teams: Kick and Punt Returns and Coverage Teams
Keisean Nixon had a mixed season as a kick returner. He averaged 29.3 yards per kick even though he has only 18 returns. However, he didn’t always exercise good judgment when deciding whether to run the ball out of the end zone or to down it. That often cost the Packers field position if he didn’t reach the 30 or a penalty took place.
At the end of the season, Nixon indicated he didn’t want to return kicks anymore to concentrate on playing cornerback. The Packers may still want the two-time All Pro return specialist to return kicks.
Corey Ballentine and Bo Melton each returned one kick this season. Ballentine gained 22 yards, Melton 15.
Jayden Reed served as the primary punt returner. He averaged 7.9 yards on 14 runbacks. He also made 30 fair catches. Reed also had issues with determining when to return a punt and when to have make a fair catch. He is average as a punt returner.
The coverage teams were a mixed bag. The punt return coverage ranked 25th in the league and gave up 11.5 yards per return. Kick return coverage allowed 27.0-yards per runback which ranked 10th in the league.
The special teams units as a whole struggled with penalties and that number needs to be reduced.
Final Grades for the Packers 2024 Special Teams
The special teams units still ranked close to the bottom of the league. The Packers had the 22nd best special teams unit in the NFL according to some rankings. That number increased because McManus made nearly all of his field goals.
Despite the struggles here, special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia signed an extension and will return next season.
FINAL GRADE: C-
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You had the highest Paid Special Teams Coordinator in the NFL yet gave up a touchdown on a trick play to the BEARS! D+ McManus was the only bright spot and the Packers Front office got that wrong too!