Packers releasing K Brandon McManus: What the move means

The Green Bay Packers are releasing veteran kicker Brandon McManus on Friday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Here's what the move means:

Immediate impact

The kicking competition in Green Bay is now down to two and is likely over before it ever really began. McManus is out just days after the Packers took Florida kicker Trey Smack in the sixth round of the 2026 NFL draft. Instead of battling an established veteran, Smack is now looking at a head-to-head battle with Lucas Havrisik this summer.

Why did the Packers make this move?

McManus opened the door to change with a shaky midseason stretch punctuated by a lingering leg injury, and he kept it fully ajar to start the offseason with a catastrophic performance in Chicago during the NFC Wild Card Round in January. McManus missed six field goals during the regular season and ranked 27th in field goal percentage among qualified kicker in 2025. He then cost the Packers seven very important points during the collapse against the Bears, including a missed field goal inside 50 yards and a missed extra point in the second half. In swapping out McManus for Smack, the Packers are attempting to get better at a point-scoring specialist position.

And why now?

Likely two reasons. From the team side, the Packers likely paid McManus a $1 million roster bonus in March as insurance at kicker, knowing the draft to be unpredictable and not wanting to get boxed in at a key specialist spot. But after trading up to get Smack, who the team labeled as the No. 1 kicker in the draft class, the writing was on the wall, and it didn't take a rocket scientist to understand what Smack's arrival meant for McManus. The veteran would have been a long shot to win the kicking competition this summer. With his release now, McManus will have the options around the NFL that might not exist come cutdown time in August. It's possible McManus asked for his release, and the Packers obliged.