Home / Sports / Packers Cut McManus, End Kicker Competition
Packers Cut McManus, End Kicker Competition
8 May
Summary
- Packers released veteran kicker Brandon McManus on Friday.
- Rookie Trey Smack drafted to compete for kicking duties.
- McManus signed a multi-year extension before this season.
The Green Bay Packers concluded their expected kicker competition by releasing veteran Brandon McManus on Friday. This move follows the team's decision to draft Florida kicker Trey Smack with the final pick of the sixth round in the recent draft. General manager Brian Gutekunst had expressed a desire for competition, which was then fulfilled by acquiring Smack.
McManus joined the Packers in Week 7 of the 2024 season, bringing stability after an experimental period with other kickers. He finished the 2024 regular season hitting 20 of 21 field goals but struggled with injuries and missed crucial kicks in playoff games. Despite signing a three-year, $15.3 million extension before the 2025 season, the team has moved on.
Trey Smack, a Florida Gators alum, brings a career field goal success rate of 82.8 percent and a strong long-range kicking ability. He is now set to compete with Lucas Havrisik, who has shown promise, including a franchise-record 61-yard field goal.
