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The Green Bay Packers are adding another specialist to the picture for the 2022 offseason as new special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia continues working to improve the unit and find his starters for the upcoming season.
According to Lewis Caralla, head football strength and conditioning coach at Georgia Tech, the Packers have signed rookie long snapper Jack Coco to their 90-man offseason roster after they hosted him for a tryout during their two-day rookie minicamp from May 6 to 7. He handled long-snapping duties for the Yellow Jackets for three seasons before converting into a tight end and focusing exclusively on the position in 2021.
The Packers also waived undrafted rookie offensive tackle Jahmir Johnson (Texas A&M) from the roster with an injury settlement to clear a spot for Coco, according to the NFL’s official transaction wire for Tuesday, May 17. Johnson was among the 14 rookies the Packers signed as UDFAs following the 2022 NFL draft in early May.
Coco will now have the chance to compete with returning starter Steven Wirtel for the Packers’ long snapper job next season. Wirtel was signed up from the Packers’ practice squad to replace Hunter Bradley midway through the 2021 season and held down the position for their final 10 games, but he ended on a low note in the playoffs when he got bodied into the backfield and gave up a critical blocked punt to San Francisco.
The Packers now have multiple players at two of their three primary specialist spots, including three kickers between Mason Crosby, JJ Molson and Dominik Eberle. The team also signed longtime cold-weather punter Pat O’Donnell — who played the past eight seasons for the Chicago Bears — to replace Corey Bojorquez for 2022.
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Packers May Add Another Punter Before Camp
O’Donnell should be an upgrade over Bojorquez in the punting department for the Packers. Not only does he have twice as much experience as an NFL punter, but he was also a model of both consistency and durability during his eight seasons in Chicago, setting franchise records for most punt yards in a season (46.98) and a career (45.0).
Even still, another punter is probably in the cards for the Packers at some point during the 2022 offseason.
The Packers rarely head into training camp with just one player at any given position and, on top of that, have Bisaccia trying to turn around a special teams unit that was deeply flawed across the board in 2021. Even if Bisaccia likes O’Donnell and had a hand in getting him to Green Bay, it would make sense for the Packers to bring in another punter to compete with him and share the reps throughout camp.
The Packers might not even have to look too hard to find a suitable second-string option. Ryan Winslow, who spent time on their practice squad in 2020 and stayed with them partway through camp in 2021, was recently released from the Bears’ offseason roster and could be a sensible addition if they want another camp body. Then again, Bisaccia might want to avoid the familiar faces, in which case a rookie could also work.
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