Packers confirm suspicion about kicker Brandon McManus, and these are the financial repercussions
Green Bay decided to release the veteran kicker after taking Trey Smack in the sixth round of the NFL Draft. Move saves less than $1 million this year.
It was just a matter of time. Less than two weeks after drafting Trey Smack in the sixth round, the Green Bay Packers released veteran kicker Brandon McManus.
The veteran played one and a half seasons in Green Bay. He had been solid in 2024 and earned a three-year contract extension last offseason, but had a bad 2025 season — which included a catastrophic playoff game against the Chicago Bears.
Financial repercussions
The Packers had already paid Brandon McManus a $1 million roster bonus back in March. Because of that, they will have to handle $4.333 million in dead money.
However, Green Bay applied a post-June 1 designation, splitting the dead money between 2026 and 2027. That means the team saves $2.612 million against the cap this year, with $2.666 million in dead money. Next year, there will still be $1.667 million in dead money, with $4.599 million in cap savings.
Back in 2024, McManus had converted 20 of 21 field goals in 11 games for the Packers. Last year, a season that included a complicated injury, the kicker converted only 24 of 30 field goals, missing six of 12 of 40+ yards. The worst game, though, came at the worst possible moment. Against the Bears, McManus missed two field goals (including a 44-yarder) and a fourth-quarter extra point, costing the Packers seven points in a four-game loss.
There isn’t an actual competition
After the draft, general manager Brian Gutekunst and special teams coordinator Cam Achord both mentioned that they wanted competition at kicker. However, the reality is that it was never going to be the case. The Packers traded two seventh-rounders to move back into the sixth to select Trey Smack, the best kicker of this year’s class, and he will inevitably have a chance to start in 2026.
Right now, the Packers still have two kickers on the 90-man roster — Lucas Havrisik, who played three games last season while McManus was hurt, is still there. But it’s more about splitting kicks through the offseason program, training camp, and the preseason than a real competition.
Make no mistake about it: Trey Smack will be the Packers kicker in the regular season, and it just became clearer now.