The Green Bay Packers are prepping for an NFC contest against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 7, but it's looking like they may have to do so without kicker Brandon McManus.
During the portion of Wednesday's practice session that was open to the media, McManus wasn't seen practicing. Rob Demovsky of ESPN reported that Lucas Havrisik was the one participating in the kicking drills. This doesn't bode well for McManus' chances of playing on Sunday, and it's something to follow leading up to the game.
Packers' Brandon McManus Sat Out Wednesday’s Practice
There has been a lot of conversation around the kicker spot ever since last week. It started when McManus told the media that he planned to play against the Cincinnati Bengals, but revealed he had not spoken to head coach Matt LaFleur before making that statement. As fans know, they weren't on the same page, and the Packers held him out versus Cincinnati. LaFleur stated the team wanted to protect him from himself, and that trend will seemingly carry over to this matchup.
The 34-year-old is dealing with a quad injury, and that's something that he needs to allow to fully heal before stepping back on the field. Given that this injury could directly impact his power and accuracy, which are far from ideal for a kicker, patience is the best course of action.
Green Bay quickly pivoted by signing Lucas Havrisik on Oct. 11, and he played great in his Packers debut, going 2-for-2 on field-goal attempts and 3-for-3 on extra-point attempts. He had a perfect outing, which had to provide the Packers with some confidence in his abilities as McManus continues to recover.
Havrisik had some NFL experience before taking on the job for the Packers. During the 2023 season with the Los Angeles Rams, he went 15-of-20 on field goal attempts and 19-of-22 on extra-point kicks. That showed he isn't afraid of the moment, and that was on display against the Bengals.
Thursday's practice is next up and will paint a clearer picture of whether McManus will play. Another DNP will make it clear that Havrisik is set to be Green Bay's starter in Week 7. There's no official timeline for when McManus is expected to be healthy, but fans should keep a close eye on injury reports at practice going forward.