Green Bay Packers kicker Brandon McManus entered the offseason with his roster spot safe after the team chose not to release him before his $1 million roster bonus was due March 13. McManus is coming off a disappointing first full season in Green Bay, missing three games due to a lingering quad injury that hindered his performance. He went 32-for-33 on extra points and 24-for-30 on field goals in the regular season, then missed an extra point and two field goals in the Wild Card, which ultimately contributed to their loss.
McManus’s roster spot got hotter after the Packers gave up two seventh-round picks to select Trey Smack with the final pick of the sixth round. Although Smack played college football at Florida, he grew up in Maryland and has some experience kicking in the cold.
The team currently has three kickers on the 90-man roster, but that changed on Friday.
Green Bay Packers move on from Super Bowl champion
Oct 19, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Detailed view of a Green Bay Packers helmet at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Oct 19, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Detailed view of a Green Bay Packers helmet at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
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According to Adam Schefter, the Packers have released Brandon McManus, wasting $1 million after letting the roster bonus deadline pass, though the specific designation was not specified. A pre-June 1st cut frees up $945,000 while taking on $4.333 million in dead cap. With a post-June 1 designation, the team frees up $2.611 million in cap space on June 2nd while taking on $2.666 million dead cap in 2026 and $1.666 million in 2027, per Over The Cap.
After drafting Florida kicker Trey Smack in the sixth round last month, the Packers released veteran kicker Brandon McManus today, per source. pic.twitter.com/mDWi0MqdWW
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 8, 2026
This leaves Trey Smack and Lucas Havrisik as the only two kickers on the Packers roster. Smack is the heavy favorite to win the job.