The Green Bay Packers have their punter back in the fold for the 2024 season. GM Brian Gutekunst signed Daniel Whelan to a one-year exclusive rights free agent tender. The tender equates to the veteran minimum. After bouncing from the New Orleans Saints’ practice squad to the DC Defenders of the XFL, the All-XFL punter joined Green Bay in 2023 replacing 10-year punter Pat O’Donnell.

While punting in Green Bay, Whelan was one of the best in the league in terms of hangtime. Over the last nine games of the regular season, he had 11 punts inside the 20 and no touchbacks. The Irish-born punter also booted three of his four punts in the postseason inside the 20 for the Packers. He played in all 17 games and averaged 46.2 yards per punt. The former UC-Davis star had a net total of 2,243 yards. In total, he put 18 punts inside the 10 and had just five touchbacks out of 57 total punts.

Special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia now has his whole core of special teams players back. This includes, Whelan, soon-to-be second-year kicker Anders Carlson, Kristian Welch, Corey Ballentine, Tyler Davis, and All-Pro return man Keisean Nixon.

Look for Whelan, 25, to be punting in Green Bay for the foreseeable future, especially if he continues to do what he did in year one. Despite a mediocre net average at best (39.4), his big leg has the power to flip the field at any moment. After all, his best punt last season almost hit 70 yards. He just needs to be a little more consistent.