The Packers are moving on from veteran kicker Brandon McManus, a decision that felt increasingly likely the moment Green Bay selected kicker Trey Smack in the draft. While McManus provided stability for stretches during the regular season, his Packers tenure will ultimately be remembered for the worst possible timing: two costly misses in Green Bay’s playoff loss to the Chicago Bears.
For a position built almost entirely on trust, playoff misses are hard to overcome. McManus had opportunities to deliver in a game where every point mattered, and failing to convert twice left the Packers chasing points in a contest where execution was already at a premium.
Drafting Smack signaled the organization was ready to get younger and cheaper at the position while creating real competition in the kicking room. Now, by releasing McManus, the Packers are making that transition official.
Green Bay’s special teams have been under the microscope for years, and the expectation now is clear: consistency is non-negotiable. The Packers clearly believe Smack has the leg talent and mental makeup to seize the job.
Moving on from McManus is no doubt less about what happened in the regular season and more about what happened when the stakes were highest.
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