The Green Bay Packers have signed veteran kicker Brandon McManus, marking their seventh kicker move since the end of last season. McManus, who officially signed a one-year deal, is expected to kick in Sunday’s game against the Houston Texans.
The Packers have cycled through several kickers this year, including Brayden Narveson, who struggled with five missed field goals in six games before being released. Alex Hale, another kicker, remains on the practice squad, and the team has tried multiple options, such as Greg Joseph and Anders Carlson, but none have provided lasting stability.
Narveson’s struggles prompted the Packers to look for alternatives, as he led the league in missed field goals. The decision to release him came after he missed a critical 44-yard attempt in a win over the Arizona Cardinals.
Narveson, a rookie who claimed off waivers from the Tennessee Titans, was brought in during the preseason but failed to meet expectations. Despite Packers coach Matt LaFleur initially downplaying the possibility of a change, the team moved forward with bringing in McManus after working him out earlier in the week.
McManus, a seasoned kicker, played last season with the Jacksonville Jaguars, making 30 of 37 field goals and all 35 extra points. His career spans nine years with the Denver Broncos before joining Jacksonville. Despite his solid performance, McManus faced personal challenges off the field when a lawsuit was filed against him by two flight attendants accusing him of sexual assault on a trip to London in 2023. However, the NFL conducted an investigation and found insufficient evidence to take action, leaving the door open for future developments if new evidence arises.
The Packers have been struggling to find a reliable replacement since parting ways with long-time kicker Mason Crosby after the 2022 season. Crosby, the Packers’ all-time scoring leader, left behind big shoes to fill after a consistent 86.2% field goal conversion rate in his final season. The Packers hoped for stability with Anders Carlson, a sixth-round pick in 2023, but his inconsistency, along with other kickers’ struggles, has kept the search ongoing.
With McManus now in the fold, the Packers hope his experience and track record will bring much-needed consistency to their kicking game. McManus has an 81.4% career field goal accuracy and could provide a solution to the instability Green Bay has faced this season. The team’s performance in upcoming games will reveal whether this latest signing can finally solidify the kicking position.
