The Packers’ special teams picture under Cam Achord is looking better in a few key spots, but the full story is messier than a simple coordinator swap. Green Bay changed both sides of the ball this offseason by hiring Jonathan Gannon on defense and Achord to take over for Rich Bisaccia on special teams, and the early returns have been a mixed bag of cleaner execution, upgraded personnel, and some numbers that are hard to untangle from one another.
The biggest jolt has come in the return game, where the Packers are suddenly piling up production. They rank second in the NFL in average punt return at 15.5 yards per return and are tied for eighth in average kickoff return at 27.2 yards per return.
That surge owes plenty to Skyy Moore, who delivered a 63-yard punt return in Week 2 against the New York Jets and added a 43-yard kickoff return in that same game. Moore was signed this offseason with the plan for him to handle both punt and kickoff returns, and the Packers made it clear early in training camp that he was expected to make the 53-man roster, which he did.
That matters, because Green Bay’s approach to special teams has long been shaped by roster philosophy as much as coaching. The Packers’ “draft and develop” model tends to leave special teams units filled with young players waiting for their turn, rather than roster spots devoted to specialists. Under that setup, the return game usually takes a back seat, since bringing in a dedicated returner costs a spot that might otherwise go to a developmental draft pick.
That’s why it’s tough to give Achord all the credit for the jump. The Packers never reached these heights in punt returns under Bisaccia, and they only topped their current kickoff return ranking in 2022 and 2023, when Keisean Nixon was handling the role full-time. The bigger takeaway is simple: when you invest in a real returner, you tend to get real return production.
Coverage has been more uneven. On punts, the Packers have done the job well, ranking fifth in average punt return yards allowed at 7.4.
Kickoff coverage has been a different story. Green Bay sits 31st in average kickoff return yards allowed at 30.1, a number that took a hit after the Bears ripped off a 61-yard return on Sunday.
That’s especially notable because Chicago came into the game as one of the league’s worst kick return teams.
Compared with Bisaccia’s groups, Achord’s units are showing a different shape. Under Bisaccia, Green Bay never finished higher than 18th in punt coverage and never lower than 21st in kickoff coverage. So far, Achord’s crew has been better on punt coverage but worse on kickoff coverage.
Personnel still looms over all of it. Daniel Whelan has been booming the ball, which helps the punt coverage numbers, and Nick Niemann has already piled up five tackles in the kicking game. Players matter, and the Packers have clearly leaned a little harder into that reality this year.
There’s also been a tighter leash on mistakes. The clearest example came after Jonathan Ford was heavily blamed for a blocked field goal in Week 3, after which he disappeared from the Packers’ field goal and PAT units and has not returned there.
So yes, there are signs of improvement under Achord. But it’s not as easy as pointing to a new coordinator and calling it solved.
Some of what’s changed looks like coaching. Some of it looks like roster decisions.
The best answer might be that both are pulling in the same direction - and that Moore’s tweaked ankle leaves one more thing to watch as the season goes on.
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