GREEN BAY – The Green Bay Packers' special teams have been a sore spot for the better part of a quarter-century, but new coordinator Cam Achord is optimistic that the pieces are in place for a turnaround.

In his first media session since being hired in late February by head coach Matt LaFleur, Achord addressed the media on Monday, May 4, with a clear vision for improvement. While the Packers' coverage units performed respectably last season – ranking fourth in net punt coverage and 11th in starting field position after kickoffs – the return game was a glaring weakness, finishing 29th and 21st in those categories. Kicker Brandon McManus also struggled down the stretch, battling a quad injury before missing three critical kicks in a season-ending 31-27 wild-card playoff loss to the Chicago Bears.

Despite those challenges, Achord sees a foundation to build on. "I think there's pieces in place, there's players here, and Matt understands that the kicking game – he's been great for me already," Achord said. "There's an opportunity here to improve and get better. There's already pieces here. You're not going into a situation where you're starting from scratch with everything."

The new coordinator pointed to the team's existing toughness and key contributors like punter Daniel Whelan as building blocks. "There were just a little bit of things when you looked at it," Achord explained. "But there's enough pieces that you're like, 'Hey, we have an opportunity to be successful in the kicking game.'"

Achord brings a decade of NFL special teams experience to Green Bay, most recently serving as coordinator for the New England Patriots under Bill Belichick from 2020-2023. His challenge now is to transform a unit that has been an organizational shortcoming for years into a reliable weapon for a team with championship aspirations.