As the Green Bay Packers enter another pivotal offseason, general manager Brian Gutekunst has decisions to make on 19 pending free agents who are set to hit the open market in 2025. Players such as former first-round cornerback Eric Stokes, run-stuffing defensive lineman Tedarrell Slaton, and special teams stalwart and starting linebacker Isaiah McDuffie are going to be difficult to retain based on what their market looks like and their potential role on next year’s team.
However, it’s a no-brainer to re-sign veteran kicker Brandon McManus. Gutekunst has already gone on record saying he wants McManus back.
Last Thursday, when reporters asked Gutekunst if the front office wants McManus to return, Gutey said, “We would. Had a good conversation with him before he left. Obviously, how he solidified that journey (at kicker) we were going on.
“He’s a veteran guy. The thing that was so neat about being around him was not only his confidence but his ability to adjust, no matter where we were, what weather we had.”
That journey Gutekunst referred to included the Packers exhausting their Rolodex of kickers. During training camp, they offered opportunities to Anders Carlson, Brayden Narveson, and veteran Greg Joseph.
However, none performed to Green Bay’s liking. Narveson missed the most kicks of any kicker in the NFL until the team finally made a change. It was clear early on that, even though the rookie had a strong leg and some potential, Narveson could not be an option for a team with postseason aspirations.
Enter the 11-year veteran McManus, who turns 34 years old this July. He is coming off an outstanding season, given that the Packers signed him off the street to rescue their kicking game in mid-October. They signed him to a one-year deal on October 15 and completely transformed the most unreliable unit on the team.
McManus made 20 of 21 field goals and all 30 of his extra points during the regular season. He hit the game-winner against the Houston Texans in his first game with the Packers in Week 7. He also connected on what should have been another game-winner against the Chicago Bears in Week 18 in frigid temperatures. However, Green Bay’s defense faltered in the final seconds.
With a career 82.2% field-goal percentage and a 97.4% extra-point average, McManus is exactly the type of reliable veteran the team needs moving forward.
In the post-Mason Crosby era, the Packers hoped they had found their answer last season when they spent a sixth-round draft choice on Carlson. However, Carlson’s inconsistent 2023 season, including far too many missed extra points, forced them to bring in Greg Joseph and international pathway prospect Alex Hale as competition toward the end of camp.
Hale was always more of a long-term developmental prospect, which is why he spent all of 2024 on the practice squad. However, neither Carlson nor Joseph properly secured the job out of camp, and the Packers claimed Narveson on waivers. Carlson and Joseph bounced around the league, appearing for multiple teams as a fill-in at various points this season.
Narveson wowed the Packers with his 59-yard game-winner in the preseason with the Tennessee Titans, but he never translated that success to Green Bay, ending his tenure without a single memorable kick.
After going 12 of 17 on field goals through six weeks, the Packers knew they had to make a change. After cutdowns, Gutekunst said he needed to be more patient with young specialists. However, having a kicker you can’t trust can be deflating for a team. Especially such a young team like the Packers were in 2024 and will be again in 2025.
McManus seemed like the perfect match. The Packers struggled with kicking for two months, and a decade-plus veteran kicker didn’t have a home in mid-October. McManus signed with the Washington Commanders in the 2024 offseason, but they released him after allegations from flight attendants during his 2023 season with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Once the NFL found insufficient evidence, Gutekunst swooped in days later and inked McManus to a deal. He made a career-best 95.2% of his kicks. However, McManus missed a 38-yarder wide right against the Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild Card round. Still, he kicked well throughout the season season.
It seems like there is mutual interest in a reunion in 2025. “I’ve throughly enjoyed it here,” McManus said in late December when speaking on his time in Green Bay. “This place is so nostalgic. I’ve really enjoyed being here and being a part of this tradition, and it’s been great.”
With his positive experience in Green Bay and the team’s positive comments, it seems like it should be just a matter of time before both sides come to an agreement. It wouldn’t be all that surprising if the Packers tried to lock him up before free agency officially opens on March 12 and other teams can talk to him.
For reference, he signed a one-year, $2 million deal with Washington last offseason. I would think that after his turbulent past offseason after those allegations and his younger age (for a kicker) at 34, McManus would be looking for a longer and more lucrative contract.
On the other hand, even though the Packers have had the NFL’s youngest roster in the past two seasons, their days of kicking experiments might be over for the time being. They would love to check that box off and focus on improving other parts of this roster for a real shot at a Super Bowl.
Having a reliable kicker is a prerequisite for a Super Bowl contender. The Packers found one in 2024 and should do whatever it takes to ensure he’s in the fold next year.
