Most Underrated Offseason Move By Packers Could Lift Perennially Inept Unit

The Green Bay Packers definitely will be new on special teams. But will they be improved?

In a sweeping makeover of the team’s chronically underperforming special teams, the Packers parted ways with Rich Bisaccia, hired Cam Achord, drafted Trey Smack and released Brandon McManus.

Sort of lost in the shuffle of the team’s major moves at coordinator and kicker, general manager Brian Gutekunst signed receiver Skyy Moore in free agency.

Green Bay’s return game was feeble, at best, last season. Rookie Savion Williams was a nonfactor as the kickoff returner and veteran Romeo Doubs returned punts only because he could reliably field them.

Moore will be an instant upgrade, which is what makes him such an underrated addition even though he caught only five passes the last two seasons.

Traded by Kansas City to San Francisco toward the end of training camp last year, he averaged 11.6 yards per punt return – that’s more than a first down’s worth of field position – and 27.5 yards per kickoff return. He was one of only three players to finish in the top 10 in the league in both phases.

“He was convicted running in San Fran,” Achord said last week. “Had a solid year. Done a lot of good things with the ball. For me, returners, the No. 1 thing is holding onto the ball. We’re not going to put it on the ground. Being able to control the ball and catch the ball, let’s start there. We want to make sure we have the ball at the end of the play, and then everything else we’ll talk about – gaining the yards and everything.”

Moore muffed a punt in the season-opening game against Seattle but didn’t mishandle another one the rest of the regular season on a total of 29 returns and fair catches over the final 16 games.

The Rising Tide

San Francisco 49ers receiver Skyy Moore breaks into the open field for a long return against the Browns. | Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

A returner, obviously, is not the same as a quarterback. However, a quarterback is expected to be the rising tide that lifts all boats on offense. Similarly, a returner can be the player who single-handedly raises the level of a special teams.

“Me and my agent talked about it, more than anything, just of how I could come in and it could be kind of the same thing for San Fran,” Moore told Packers On SI in an exclusive interview. “San Fran had the same struggles early in the season. They talked about how their special teams was in the bottom half of the league and my job was to come in there and help change that around.

“So, I’m going to look at it in the same manner of going in there, earning my stripes, earning my role and, hopefully, we can get in that top 10.”

It wasn’t all because of Moore, but the 49ers went from 32nd in the Packers On SI NFL Special Teams Rankings in 2024 to 11th in 2025. It certainly helped that he had a punt return of longer than 10 yards in nine games, including a 66-yarder against Cleveland. He added a 98-yard kickoff return against Arizona.

“He’s gotten better every year,” Achord said. “If you go back and look at it more, he didn’t do it in college. Then you see him, he gets to Kansas City does it and then he doesn’t do [well]. In San Fran, he actually had a very productive year. I’m excited to work with him, along with the other guys that are going to be back there.”

Potential Impact on Offense

Kansas City Chiefs receiver Skyy Moore (24) scores a touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles during Super Bowl LVII. | Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Packers parted ways with Doubs, who led the team with 55 receptions last year, and Dontayvion Wicks, who was tied for fifth with 30 catches. That’s a combined 85 receptions for 1,056 yards and eight touchdowns.

They were not replaced. The only offseason addition at the position was undrafted rookie J. Michael Sturdivant.

On paper, Green Bay could have a strong starting three of Christian Watson, Jayden Reed and Matthew Golden. But there’s little in the way of proven depth from the returning group of Williams, a third-round pick last year, Bo Melton, a receiver by trade who spent most of last year playing cornerback, and first-year players Jakobie Keeney-James, Will Sheppard and Isaiah Neyor.

A second-round pick in 2022 by the Chiefs, Moore caught 22 passes as a rookie and 21 passes in 2023. He didn’t catch any passes in six games with the Chiefs in 2024 and caught five passes for 87 yards in 17 games last season for the 49ers. For his career, he’s scored only one touchdown in the regular season.

“I’ve known Skyy for a long time,” passing-game coordinator Jason Vrable said. “I’m from Pittsburgh, so I kind of known him since he was like a freshman in high school, a sophomore – kind of just following Pittsburgh high school kids. He’s always been tremendous with his ball in his hands. He was a high school quarterback, and why they did that was they wanted the ball in his hands. So, running the ball all the time, doing what he can do.”

He was coached at Western Michigan by Tim Lester, who was fired after the 2022 season and spent the 2023 season as an analyst for the Packers.

“Coach Lester … just raved about him coming out in the draft – as a person, a worker,” Vrable said. “I’d say he stepped in right away. Kind of reminded me of J-Reed, the way that he just flies around like an Energizer Bunny. It’s awesome.”

Last offseason, the Packers signed another speed receiver with return skills who won a Super Bowl ring with the Chiefs. While Mecole Hardman didn’t pan out, there are greater expectations for Moore, who scored a fourth-quarter touchdown in the Chiefs’ 38-35 win over the Eagles in Super Bowl LVII, to lend his experience as a returner, receiver and leader.

“He’s brought energy to the room, and I think he’s also brought another thing,” Vrable continued. “Guys who’ve won the Super Bowl before, they have great advice of what they went through in Kansas City for the room. And he talked about the ‘connection of rooms,’ and how important that is, and ‘the brotherhood.’ He’s talked to our whole room about that.

“So, I really like that side of Skyy, as well, because he’s been in two really good buildings. But I’m excited to see Skyy. I think he’s already starting to pick up our offense. Today we were out on the grass and he did a really good job. He’s another guy I’m excited to see in the room and see what he can do for us.”

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