Packers Top Free Agent Priority Should be Keeping McManus
Brandon McManus makes this 55-yard field goal against the Bears in Week 18. McManus was 3 for 3 on 50 yard field goals in 2024 and 20 of 21 overall in the regular season.
Stability at the kicker position has been one of the biggest strengths of the Green Bay Packers organization since Ron Wolf became general manager in 1992. Prior to 2023, in that time span the Packers had just four kickers over 32 seasons: Chris Jacke, Ryan Longwell, Dave Rayner and Mason Crosby.
It took the Packers a year and a half of searching for the successor to Crosby, but after joining the team in Week 7 Brandon McManus brought stability back to the position going 20 of 21 in the regular season.
McManus kicked two game-winning field goals in his first two games with the Packers.
BRANDON MCMANUS GAME WINNER FOR HIS FIRST KICK WITH THE PACKERS
(via @packers)pic.twitter.com/SmByp5L5oD
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) October 20, 2024
Heading into the offseason, signing the 34-year-old McManus to a new contract should be at the top of the to-do list.
The other free agents at kicker this offseason: Nick Folk age 40, Matt Prater age 40, Eddie Pineiro age 29, Michael Badgley age 29, Joey Slye age 28, Greg Joseph age 30, Zane Gonzalez age 29, Austin Siebert age 28, Cade York age 24.
A Green Bay game-winner for the 2nd week in a row!#Packers K Brandon McManus knocks in the 24-yd field goal as time expires. pic.twitter.com/Zi4Q8m1npK
— Kicker Update (@kickerupdate) October 27, 2024
In the drafting of Anders Carlson and then with replacing him with Brayden Narvseon, it appeared the path the Packers wanted to take at kicker was having a young guy and letting him grow into the position.
It worked almost 30 years ago with Ryan Longwell, who went on to be the team’s all-time leading scorer, being the team’s kicker from 1997 to 2005. And then it worked again with Mason Crosby, a former 6th round draft pick, as he broke Longwell’s scoring record and was the team’s kicker for 16 seasons.
To keep McManus, the Packers would be going forward with a kicker in his mid 30’s, but based on how kickers can age well in the NFL, his age should not scare away Brian Guteknust. Nick Folk, the other top kicker in free agency, is six years older, but has been one of the league’s most accurate kickers the last five seasons.
The Green Bay #Packers picked up K Brandon McManus off the street and he’s hitting clutch 55 yard field goals in negative degree weather, while Jake Moody shanking…, never mind 🫣🥹🫠
— 49ers & NFL News 24/7 (@49ersSportsTalk) January 5, 2025
McManus would be entering next season coming off his best season of his career. The 20 of 21 in field goals was 95 percent, his only season in the 90 percent range. He had three other seasons making over 85 percent of his field goals.
McManus did go just 1 of 2 on his field goals in the Packers playoff loss against the Eagles, but that should not be a factor against his re-signing. McManus turned one of the team’s biggest weaknesses in Weeks 1 thru 6, into being one of the most reliable aspects of the team the remainder of the season.
Keeping him should be one of the first things Gutekunst does when free agency starts in a few weeks. And the last time the Super Bowl was in Levi’s Stadium, who was the kicker of the winning team? You guessed it, Brandon McManus. Yet another reason to go with the veteran kicker next season.
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Mitch McLaughlin is a Packers fan and shareholder residing in Sacramento, California. He will be writing Packers stories each week on Cheesehead TV. He can be found on Twitter: @McLaughlinMitch
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Comments (15)
splitpea1
February 23, 2025 at 12:17 pm
Just do it!
pantz_bURp
February 23, 2025 at 02:37 pm
Patience lil' grasshopper.
Someone needs a kick in the,
Pantz
Packers0808
February 23, 2025 at 03:42 pm
I remember well when we were having trouble with the last Naverson [sp] I said to sign McManus and I was almost run off this board. How things change with a little success!
ricky
February 23, 2025 at 04:16 pm
Resigning McManus, because he is a kicker, shouldn't mean a huge financial commitment. So, sure, hook him up for two or three more years. At the same time, remember, this was an exceptional year for McManus. There is a reason he was on the streets, and it wasn't because there were a lot of really good kickers with all the other teams. This reminds me of the signing of De'Vondre Campbell. He was a decent LBer who had an outstanding year with the Packers, making All-Pro. They re-signed him, and the never reached those heights again. In short, past performance is no guarantee of future success.
What should they do? Keep McManus and draft or sign another FA kicker who they can develop for a year or two. If McManus keeps up his torrid pace, great. If he doesn't, the team has a replacement ready to step in. They've done this at QB and it worked with Favre to Rodgers, and hopefully on to Love.
TOMMY'63
February 24, 2025 at 05:33 pm
Hey mate ! Remember ANDERS CARLETON? He changed 3-4 clubs last year! Mc has always been a quality kicker ! Superiour to Crosby that the fc kept for over a decade! Remember that . Crosby use to miss 3,5 shots in many many matches, Remember this! How many times, if ever mc did the same? How many? He only missed a fg in poring rain from a far against Detroit, if I'm correct also against Philladelphia in the po? Not sure , He's a very good kicker,good leg and talented better than Crosby ever was!
PhantomII
February 23, 2025 at 07:16 pm
Pretty obvious signing here...GB may screw it up.
Gman1976
February 23, 2025 at 07:58 pm
This is a no-brainer.
Starrbrite
February 24, 2025 at 05:32 am
It’s difficult to believe, but Paul Hornung missed 26 FG’s in 1964—going 26-38. A year when the Packers might have won another Championship?
Over the years we’ve had some rough seasons with kickers—1968 was brutal after Don Chandler retired. Chester Marcol and Jan Stenerud helped, but there were some miserable times before Jacke, Longwell, and Crosby stabilized the situation.
I’m certain Guty knows this is critical—sign him (McManus) already.
Go Packers!!!
Starrbrite
February 24, 2025 at 05:48 am
Wups—sorry y’all. I meant he missed 26 of 38 attempts—not 26-38.
LeotisHarris
February 24, 2025 at 05:49 pm
Gotcha. He made 12 of 38 attempts. This was his first season back after being suspended for a year for gambling on NFL games. In his first six seasons, Hornung made 53% of his field goal attempts (54 of 102).
In 1964 Lombardi had no other choice because back-up kicker Jerry Kramer was out after having abdominal surgery.
PackEyedOptimist
February 24, 2025 at 05:59 am
I will agree to resign him, but I’d also consider picking a kicker in the seventh round, if one of the top ones is available. There are some decent prospects this year.
Starrbrite
February 24, 2025 at 01:59 pm
Yes—good strategy.
TOMMY'63
February 24, 2025 at 05:20 pm
If The Good Art,GUTE,DOESN'T RESIGN Mc HES and idiot! Tt was incompetent, hopefully he's not!!
LeotisHarris
February 24, 2025 at 05:52 pm
2 for 1 night on Fosters 25 oz cans again tonight, Tommy?
Starrbrite
February 24, 2025 at 06:45 pm
Lol—Leotis—my favorite cheeseheadtv humorist—I belly laughed at your reply.
…and btw, thanks for facilitating my post above—gave the entire story.