The Green Bay Packers are shaking things up at kicker, and Brandon McManus won't be back for the 2026 season. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the team is moving on from the veteran after just two years together—a surprising turn of events considering they inked him to a three-year, $15 million deal last offseason.
So, what went wrong? Simply put, McManus struggled when it mattered most. Both in the regular season and during the playoffs in 2025, his performance fell short of expectations, making his hefty price tag hard to justify. Now, with his release official, the 33-year-old becomes an intriguing free agent for teams looking to shore up their kicking game.
Despite his recent woes, McManus still has a proven track record and could provide valuable competition in training camp. Here are three teams that might give him a call.
Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders are in full rebuild mode at kicker after parting ways with longtime starter Daniel Carlson, who hit a rough patch in 2025. As it stands, their competition features veteran journeyman Matt Gay and undrafted rookie Kansei "Tokyo Toe" Matsuzawa out of Hawaii. While both have potential, adding a seasoned pro like McManus could bring much-needed stability to a room that's currently wide open.
Buffalo Bills
Injury struck the Bills' kicking unit hard when Tyler Bass missed the entire 2025 campaign. They managed to patch things up with veteran Matt Prater, but that's a short-term fix. Even before his injury, Bass was inconsistent—missing 10 field goals and six extra points over the previous two seasons, including five missed PATs in 2024 alone. Right now, his only competition is undrafted rookie Maddux Trujillo, who has zero NFL experience. For a team with Super Bowl aspirations, that's a risky bet. McManus could provide the veteran edge they need.
Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles have shown unwavering faith in Jake Elliott, but the numbers tell a different story. Over the past two seasons, Elliott has missed 15 field goals, posting success rates of just 77.8% and 74.1%. His playoff heroics have masked some of those regular-season struggles, but it's become a coin toss every time he lines up for a kick. Philadelphia should make Elliott earn his spot in 2026, and bringing in a proven competitor like McManus would push him to step up—or open the door for a change.