Ask Maggie: OverreACTUALLY… #Packers #GoPackGo
Ask Maggie: OverreACTUALLY…Training camp is here! Big dudes are riding bikes. Guardian caps look new and improved this year. We’re all overreacting on the internet. I missed you, football.
“Hey Maggie! Any takeaways from the first few days of camp that may have gone unnoticed by those of us not in attendance? Without the customary overreaction, of course. :) Thanks!” - Jim
Unfortunately, since I’m not at camp for a live look myself, I’m also relying on all of the sights and sounds I can find online, which customarily includes overreaction. But I would say my biggest takeaway so far is something that isn’t even remotely surprising. I cannot wait to see how Jonathan Gannon utilizes his safeties. If there is one position on the roster that I’m fully confident in, it’s the safety group. Xavier McKinney, Evan Williams, and Javon Bullard make up one of the most elite safety trios in football. We know that nickel packages are basically today’s base defense. So for Gannon to have McKinney, Williams, and Bullard at his disposal makes me feel infinitely better about any quarters looks he may want to deploy.
He’ll certainly change things up and move pieces around as he sees fit, but the secondary gets a big lift from having McKinney, Williams, and Bullard on the field at the same time. And what a luxury for Gannon to get to pick his preferred corners situationally and drop them on the boundary.
Keisean Nixon is back at practice after a day of rest which is good for him, but rookie Brandon Cisse was taking first-team reps in his absence on day one. Whichever combination of cornerbacks sees the field initially (and we know this is subject to change as the season progresses), they’ve got an elite supporting cast in their safety room. If the defense can emphasize turnovers, which is an area that was lacking in 2025, look out.
“Hi Maggie, to get to the promised land, for which young player is it more important that they become the player that the team thinks (hopes) they can be: Jordan Morgan or Trey Smack? Thanks.” - Tony
Oooooh. Perri and I talked about this a little bit on Pack’s What She Said, actually. I think Brandon McManus’s finale gives us some collective anxiety as fans because he performed so poorly down the stretch, but I’m going to say Jordan Morgan here.
This offense will go as the offensive line goes in 2026 (see comments, we just can’t quit talking about the o-line!). Jordan Love is a top-10 quarterback, and having a healthy Christian Watson, Jayden Reed, Matthew Golden, and Tucker Kraft together on the field at the same time will make for an explosive offense, not to mention the contributions from the running back room. But if Love is constantly being pressured or if the line can’t create holes for Josh Jacobs and MarShawn Lloyd to run through, none of that will matter.
Morgan played four out of five positions last season on the o-line. He was drafted to be the left tackle of the future. Now, in year three, he’s finally getting the opportunity to settle in and claim his position. This is truly the first time he’ll have an entire offseason at one position under his belt.
This offensive line has the potential to be really good. Morgan will command the LT spot. Aaron Banks should be healthy for the start of the season (and he looked better as he got healthier and the season progressed last year). Sean Rhyan is settling in at center. Anthony Belton can be a serviceable right tackle, especially with a training camp to hone his craft. And Zach Tom is one of the best in the business at right tackle. That’s the key here, to me. A healthy Tom.
That also isn’t including Jager Burton who repeatedly turned heads during OTAs and may look to claim one of the interior spots (or at least will serve as the first man off the bench if someone gets injured). There’s a lot of upside in the room, especially now giving them an offseason to gel. So I’ll again take Morgan for your question.
While I’m optimistic about Trey Smack being Green Bay’s kicker of the future, I also know better than to get too high or too low when it comes to rookie NFL kickers.
Anders Carlson was a sixth round draft pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. He had an 81.8% success rate with a 100% success rate on kicks inside 39 yards. After 40 yards, he was 7-of-13. He also made 34 of his 39 extra points.
On the flip side of that, we have a player like Cam Little with the Jaguars. In his rookie season (sixth round pick in 2024), Little went 100% on extra points and was 93.1% on field goals, only missing two attempts longer than 40 yards. In 2025, Little had a long of 68 yards and set an NFL regular season record.
I guess, because of that, my expectation is that Smack will be fine. He’ll be serviceable. But if the offensive line plays like we expect them to, I’m hoping the Packers aren’t settling for too many field goals, anyway, and are instead punching the ball in for six whenever possible.
“If there were some magical way you could play Packers Special Teams, would you rather be: Punter? Kicker? Long Snapper? Holder? Punt Returner? Kick Returner?” - Adrian
I will say that I’ve envisioned myself playing a lot of different NFL positions in my life and literally zero times have I envisioned myself playing special teams. On offense I would be a quarterback. I have a really nice lefty spiral. I’m always QB when my friends play pickup games.
On defense I would be an edge rusher. I’m not big enough for d-line but that’s where my heart lives. So let me get after the quarterback and cause a ruckus.
But special teams? Really, Adrian? (I kid, thank you for writing in!) I think if I had to pick I’d be a gunner, I guess? Because I’m confident in my ability to wrap up and tackle? But that wasn’t one of your options so I'm not sure if I’m allowed to pick it. I guess maybe I’d be a long snapper? I am nowhere fast enough to be a returner. I do not trust my leg enough to be a kicker or punter. So I guess that leaves me as a long snapper. And it sounds like my services might be needed since Matthew Orzech is on the PUP list to start camp. Somebody make the call to 1265. I can start tomorrow.
That’ll do it for this week’s mailbag! I can’t believe we’re already on day three of training camp. It feels like every year it goes by so fast, right? This time next week we’ll be prepping for Family Night. If you’re going to camp, enjoy every second of it! Remember you can always submit your questions to chtvmailbag@gmail.com. And Pack’s What She Said is officially back, so check that out on YouTube if you’re into that sort of thing, too. See you next week!
Filed Under: FeaturedMaggie Loney
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Maggie Loney is a writer for Cheesehead TV and podcaster for Pack's What She Said. Find her on Bluesky at @MaggieJLoney.
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NFL Categories: Green Bay PackersTags: Special TeamsSafetiesJordan MorganOffensive LineTrey Smack
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