Packers Work Out Former Notre Dame Star, 3-Time All-ACC Standout

The Green Bay Packers are checking out a position that hasn’t had much cause for distress this season.

Green Bay brought in two punters for tryouts Thursday, Oct. 22, despite the impressive performance of incumbent Daniel Whelan.

The Athletic‘s Matt Schneidman reported that the Packers worked out former Notre Dame punter James Rendell and former Syracuse standout Jack Stonehouse.

“The Packers tried out two punters today,” Schneidman wrote, sharing the NFL’s transaction report.

The work outs are intriguing since Whelan has been a reliable special teams performer for Green Bay thus far.

Packers Evaluate 2 Accomplished College Punters

Rendell arrives with an intriguing background after spending two seasons at Notre Dame.

The 6-foot-6 Australian earned recognition as a Ray Guy Award semifinalist in 2025, establishing himself among college football’s most promising punters.

According to Notre Dame’s official statistics, Rendell averaged 44.6 yards on 25 punts during his final season, with 13 landing inside the 20-yard line.

His most impressive outing came against USC, when he averaged 49 yards on four punts, including three downed inside the 20. That performance earned him Ray Guy Award Punter of the Week honors.

Stonehouse is also a compelling alternative.

The 6-foot-1 punter was a three-time All-ACC selection at Syracuse and earned first-team honors in 2025.

He averaged 47.1 yards per punt during his final college season, finishing fifth nationally in punting, via Syracuse Athletics.

Stonehouse previously signed with the Houston Texans as an undrafted free agent in May before the organization waived him on Aug. 8.

He also worked out for the Washington Commanders in September.

Both punters possess substantial college experience, although neither has established himself as a regular NFL contributor.

Green Bay’s decision to evaluate them gives the organization an opportunity to assess potential depth without committing to an immediate roster change.

Whelan’s Strong Season Makes Packers’ Decision Interesting

Whelan has provided little reason for Green Bay to reconsider its punting situation.

Through six games, the 27-year-old has averaged 49.7 yards on 25 punts, with 14 landing inside the opponent’s 20-yard line, via the Packers’ official statistics.

His longest punt this season traveled 75 yards.

Against the Dallas Cowboys on Oct. 18, Whelan averaged 50.3 yards across three attempts in Green Bay’s 23-13 victory.

Those numbers follow a historic 2025 campaign.

Whelan established a Packers franchise record with a 51.7-yard gross punting average, becoming the first Green Bay player to lead the NFL in that category since the 1970 merger.

His consistency makes Thursday’s development somewhat surprising.

Still, NFL teams routinely evaluate free agents throughout the season, and a tryout alone doesn’t necessarily signal dissatisfaction with the current starter.

There has been no announcement that Green Bay intends to replace Whelan or add another punter.

For now, the Packers are gathering information on two accomplished college specialists while preparing for Sunday’s NFC North showdown against the Detroit Lions.

Green Bay enters that matchup at 4-2 following three consecutive victories.

With a divisional matchup approaching, dependable special teams play remains important. Whelan has already demonstrated his value, making any eventual decision to alter the position particularly noteworthy.

This article was originally published on HEAVY

The post Packers Work Out Former Notre Dame Star, 3-Time All-ACC Standout appeared first on HEAVY.