We are roughly halfway through the 2025 NFL season, and the Green Bay Packers still have a lot of questions to answer. The team is 5-2-1 and in first place in the NFC North, but they clearly haven’t played consistently up to their talent level. Head coach Matt LaFleur has some big decisions to make including one about the team’s kicker. Should the Packers stick with veteran Brandon McManus or go with Lucas Havrisik?
Before the season started, McManus seemed to have a secure hold on the kicking job. Afterall, the previous season, he joined the team before their seventh game and solved the team’s longstanding kicking issues. After parting ways with Mason Crosby, the Packers struggled to find a reliable kicker. They drafted Anders Carlson in 2023, but he ended up leading the league in missed kicks.
In 2024, the team went through a half dozen candidates during OTAs and training camp before settling on Brayden Narveson. He also struggled so the Packers turned to McManus. The veteran ended the season with a perfect 30-for-30 on extra points while hitting 20-of-21 field goals. His only miss came on a very windy, rainy day at Lambeau Field.
During the offseason, Packers GM Brian Gutekunst signed McManus to a three-year contract extension worth a total of $15.3 million including $5 million in guaranteed money. The only competition the Packers brought in during training camp was part of the NFL’s International Players Program.
But things didn’t go according to plan this season. McManus suffered an injured quad and missed two games. The Packers signed Havrisik to fill in for McManus and the newcomer delivered. Havrisik made all six of his extra points and all four of his field goal tries. That included a 61-yard field goal against the Cardinals that set a new Packers franchise record for the longest kick. He was also consistently getting his kickoffs into the landing zone.
McManus returned to the lineup when the Packers faced the Steelers, but the Packers still kept Havrisik on their roster. McManus struggled in both games since his return. He’s attempted seven field goals in those two games but missed three of them including two from makable distances of under 50 yards. Were the misses due to the fact that the quad was not 100 percent healed?
Despite McManus’ struggles, head coach Matt LaFleur stuck with him. But now, this week, LaFleur indicated things could be different. When asked about the kicking situation, he hinted at possible changes.
“I think every time it’s a competitive situation,” LaFleur said. “So, we’re going to have both the guys kick today, and we’ll kind of see where Brandon’s at in terms of his health and whatnot and go with who we feel like gives us the best opportunity to go out there and compete and win.”
While LaFleur acknowledged McManus’ struggles, he reiterated he still had confidence in the veteran. When asked why, he simply answered, “Because I see it every day.”
The Packers may keep both kickers on the active roster come game day on Monday. If he’s healthy, McManus will probably start the game as the team’s kicker. But he will have no margin for error. If McManus misses a makable field goal or extra point, LaFleur and special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia could replace him with Havrisik for the next kicking opportunity.
Long term, the team also has several options. They know if they place Havrisik on waivers or place him on their practice squad, they’ll likely see him claimed by another team. As long as they don’t have an urgent need for another roster spot, they can keep two kickers on the 53-man roster.
Another option is to place McManus on IR and let his quad fully heal. Under those circumstances, he’d have to miss a minimum of four games. Havrisik could continue to kick in the meantime. Once McManus was fully healthy, Gutekunst and LaFleur would have another decision to make.
The good news is the Packers have a reliable alternative on the roster to kick as long as McManus continues to struggle. But ultimately, the team must determine if McManus’ struggles are due to the injury or if he’s simply no longer able to consistently get the job done. One thing is certain; the Packers cannot afford to lose any more games due to missed field goals or extra points.