The reasons why the Green Bay Packers might want to turn the page on Brandon McManus are obvious after the kicker's playoff implosion. There even seemed to be obvious targets and an opening with noted McManus defender Rich Bisaccia departing the franchise in the offseason. However, this outlook was severely dampened on Friday as ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported that "The Commanders are re-signing kicker Jake Moody to a one-year deal, per source."
Moody was one of the top kickers expected to hit the market and an obvious option for the Packers to target. Now, you're reduced to hoping that the Dallas Cowboys fumble Brandon Aubrey, who is a restricted free agent. Any other options have clear concerns that come with them, which could lead the Packers to settle for keeping McManus rostered and hope that the 2026 results are improved. The issue here is the lack of playoff trust that is already present, no matter how McManus might fare in the regular season.
The veteran, missing three kicks in a close playoff loss to the Chicago Bears, made sure that when the games matter most, he cannot be relied on. Even elite regular-season numbers aren't going to erase the doubt in the minds of Green Bay fans when it comes to shortcomings in the playoffs.
Packers Options to Replace Brandon McManus Quickly Forcing Unfortunate Reality
Realistically, this is a fair take, but it does nothing to subtract from the fact that you're missing a clear target to replace McManus. It is increasingly likely that the Packers will be forced to stick with the kicker, not based on the fit, but on the lack of a clear upgrade. McManus still being under contract complicates this, as it makes it far easier to focus on pending free agents and players leaving positions of greater need.
All of this adds up to appearing as if the kicker is going to get yet another shot, even if it wasn't deserved. If Matt LaFleur wasn't going to be held responsible for the Green Bay playoff collapse, it should've been McManus who was promptly cut after the implosion. The Packers had a 21-3 lead and led 27-16 in the fourth quarter, but still found a way to choke away the lead and let the Bears back into the game.
No question, the franchise has zero reason to trust McManus and should've forced the kicker to pay the price for his failures. However, at this point in the offseason, since the Packers haven't already walked down this road, McManus could find his job shockingly secure. It is one of many concerns fans should continue to keep an eye on as Green Bay heads deeper into what will be a pivotal 2026 offseason.