Green Bay Packers Adds Veteran Kicker Brandon McManus to Their Roster

Green Bay Packers’ Search for the Perfect Kicker

The Green Bay Packers might have finally found their perfect kicker. On Tuesday, the team signed experienced kicker Brandon McManus, marking their seventh kicker signing. Sources confirmed that the parties agreed on a one-year contract. McManus is all set to showcase his skills in the upcoming Sunday’s game against the Houston Texans at Lambeau Field.

Packers’ Previous Kicker Lineup

In the first six games of the season, Brayden Narveson was the Packers’ sole kicker. However, the team has had a total of six different kickers since the last season ended. One of them, Alex Hale, is still part of the practice squad. Narveson, a rookie claimed from the Tennessee Titans in late August, unfortunately, tops the league in missed field goal attempts this season, with a notable miss in Sunday’s win over the Arizona Cardinals.

Brandon McManus’ Journey to The Packers

Before signing McManus, the Packers had initially kept Greg Joseph over last year’s kicker, Anders Carlson. They also had James Turner and Jack Podlesny on their 90-man offseason roster at different points. When asked about a possible change in the kicking position, Packers coach Matt LaFleur was initially non-committal, stating they would “take it day by day.” This was before McManus’ workout with the team on Tuesday.

McManus, aged 33, was previously with the Jacksonville Jaguars. During his only season with the Jaguars, he successfully made 30 of his 37 field goal attempts and all 35 of his extra-point attempts. He had signed a one-year, $3.6 million contract with the Washington Commanders in the offseason, but was released after allegations of sexual assault surfaced. However, the NFL announced that there was insufficient evidence that McManus had violated the league’s personal conduct policy, clearing the way for his move to the Packers.

McManus, a career 81.4% kicker on field goals, spent the initial nine seasons of his career with the Denver Broncos. The Packers are hopeful that he can bring stability to their kicking game.

Packers Seek New Kicker After Parting Ways with Scoring Champion

The Hunt for Crosby’s Successor Continues

Since the end of their affiliation with Mason Crosby, the all-time leading scorer, the Packers have been on the hunt for a reliable replacement. Crosby, who had a successful streak with the Packers, was able to achieve an impressive 86.2% field goal success rate during his final season with the team.

Carlson’s Performance in the Spotlight

In the subsequent season, Carlson, who was a sixth-round selection in 2023, had a challenging year. He was unsuccessful on 13 occasions, consisting of field goals and extra points during both the regular season and playoffs. This was the highest number of misses recorded by any kicker in the league.

Packers’ Next Move

Sources revealed that the Packers had scheduled a meeting with Narveson on Tuesday evening. However, it is still uncertain whether the team has plans to maintain two kickers on their roster.