The Green Bay Packers are making a bold move at kicker, reportedly parting ways with veteran Brandon McManus just months after paying him a $1 million bonus in March. According to ESPN, the release signals a changing of the guard, opening the door for rookie Trey Smack to take over the job.

Smack, selected by the Packers in the sixth round of last month's draft, was the only kicker chosen this year. The Packers traded a pair of seventh-round picks to move up and grab the Florida standout, who hit 83% of his field goals in college—including an impressive 10 of 13 from 50 yards or beyond. That kind of leg strength and accuracy has fans buzzing about the future.

McManus brought stability when he joined Green Bay midway through the 2024 season, but his performance dipped after a quad injury to his kicking leg. The struggles came to a head in the playoffs, where three missed kicks against the Bears left seven points off the board in a gut-wrenching 4-point loss. With McManus out, Lucas Havrisik remains on the roster, but all eyes are on Smack to win the job.

This shakeup is part of a larger roster overhaul for the Packers, who made six picks in the 2026 NFL Draft. Their first selection was cornerback Brandon Cisse from South Carolina in the second round, followed by defensive tackle Chris McClellan from Missouri in the third. The draft class also includes edge rusher Dani Dennis-Sutton from Penn State (fourth round), offensive lineman Jager Burton from Kentucky (fifth round), cornerback Domani Jackson from Alabama (sixth round), and, of course, Smack himself.

For Packers fans, the kicking competition just got a lot more interesting—and the future might already be here.