With NFL free agency upon us next week and the 2025 NFL Draft coming shortly thereafter in April, the Packers’ roster will soon begin to take full shape. Fans and pundits alike can debate Green Bay’s biggest needs and the best ways to address them. Some might argue for targeting a cornerback in free agency, while others may advocate for taking a wide receiver or edge rusher early in the draft. There’s no perfect answer—you just have to let the market and the draft board fall as they will.

However, one thing all fans and pundits can agree on: the Packers definitely do not need to worry about a punter for the foreseeable future.

Now, I know punter isn’t always the most exciting position to discuss, but when you find a good one, it’s important to show him some love. The 26-year-old Irishman [Daniel Whelan] was a great find by the Packers’ scouting department out of the now-defunct XFL. The team has struggled to find consistent punting talent in recent years. They had three different punters in three years from 2020-2022 before discovering Whelan. Prior to J.K. Scott’s four-year stint as the punter (whom the Packers had to spend a draft pick on), they also went through three punters in three years from 2015-2017. Even though it’s “just the punter,” that’s a lot of turnover.

Whelan was excellent in his rookie season in 2023, recording a PFF grade of 78.1 and averaging 46.2 yards per punt—the second-best single-season mark in team history. He followed that up with a slightly lower 75.6 PFF grade in 2024, but he excelled at placing punts inside the 20-yard line, finishing with 26 total. His 75.6 grade still ranked 14th out of 39 qualifying punters, putting him well within the league’s upper half. Additionally, only 37.9% of his punts were returned, ranking seventh-best, and his 4.53-second average hang time was the third-best in the league.

The Packers were so confident in Whelan that they didn’t even bring in competition for him during last year’s training camp. While the team rotated kickers in and out seemingly every week—giving anyone with a leg and a pulse a shot—Whelan was the only punter under contract for the entire season. That’s unlikely to change this offseason. Roster spots are precious, and if a player has no real chance of losing his job, there’s little benefit in bringing in unnecessary competition.

Punters can have a huge impact on games, though their contributions often go overlooked. Take Week 7 against the Houston Texans, for example. Whelan played a critical role in flipping field position in Green Bay’s favor. He boomed five punts for a 56.8-yard gross average, helping the Packers maintain control. In the second half, Green Bay went three-and-out on three straight drives while trying to protect a 21-19 lead. Momentum could have easily swung in Houston’s favor. However, Whelan responded by blasting three punts from his own 15-yard line, forcing the Texans to start those drives at their own 25-, 32-, and 38-yard lines. His ability to pin Houston’s offense deep kept Green Bay in the game.

His teammates certainly took notice. After the game, quarterback Jordan Love praised Whelan, saying:

“To have a punter flip the field like that, it puts a lot of stress on the opposing offense. When the defense is playing the way they were tonight, all those yards add up big time.”

You might also remember that same game for Brandon McManus’s game-winning field goal as time expired, giving the Packers a walk-off victory. However, it was Whelan’s hold on a terrible snap that skimmed the field that truly saved the day. If he had dropped the snap or failed to recover it, Green Bay would have lost a tough game. Sometimes, the little things a player does—even the punter—can be the difference between winning and losing.

It seems people around the league are starting to take notice of Whelan as an up-and-coming punter. He finished third in the NFC Pro Bowl voting this season. While the Pro Bowl has lost much of its luster in recent years, it still serves as a good indicator of a player’s respect level around the league. It’s been a long time since a Packers punter was even in the conversation for a Pro Bowl appearance, but Whelan might just be the first if he continues on his current trajectory.

While Whelan technically enters the offseason as a free agent, he is an exclusive rights free agent (ERFA). This means there’s virtually no chance Green Bay lets him walk—all they have to do is apply the ERFA tender, and he will be retained at a minimal salary based on his experience, likely around $960K.

Green Bay should enjoy one more cheap year of Whelan while they can. If he continues performing at the level he has, his value will increase significantly. The five highest-paid punters in the league all make at least $3 million per year, with several others earning well over $2.5 million. While that’s not groundbreaking money, it’s still a sizable jump from his current salary.

With the frustrating Jaire Alexander situation still playing out, a hectic free-agency period ahead, and the NFL Draft looming, the Packers have plenty to figure out in the coming weeks. But one thing they can take solace in: they have finally found their punter of the present and future.