Packers fans were desperately hoping to avoid another week with kicker concerns. The hope was that Brandon McManus would return to practice and be ready to go by Sunday. While the veteran kicker is suited up at practice, he won't be kicking, per ESPN's Rob Demovsky. The right quad injury that has forced McManus to miss Week 6 is clearly still bothering him, putting his status for Sunday in jeopardy.
Earlier in the week, Matt LaFleur had suggested that McManus could kick on Sunday without practicing this week, but it would be up to special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia to decide. PackersWire's Zach Kruse confirmed this on Friday, saying that "it's possible he'll be OK by Sunday", before adding that it seems unlikely.
Brandon McManus' Status Is Up in the Air Ahead of Week 7
It sounds like whether McManus will get to kick on Sunday won't be decided until the last day. It's certainly not an easy decision for the coaching staff. A leg that is not ready to kick a ball on Friday is unlikely to magically be game-ready on Sunday. It likely increases the likelihood of re-aggravating the ailment and making it worse. Even though he is the proven and reliable option, putting him out there when he isn't 100% ready risks a more serious injury.
Having Lucas Havrisik kick carries its own risks. Even though he had a perfect game in his Packers debut, he has limited NFL experience and wasn't very reliable in his only other NFL stint with the Rams. The 26-year-old also doesn't have the range McManus does in his kicks, with his longest ever made field goal coming at 52 yards, compared to McManus, who regularly makes 55+ field goals.
Special teams have been a problem for the Packers all season, so it's understandable that LaFleur and Bisaccia would like to have their best players available. At the same time, the Packers have to have a long-term vision when making these decisions. A longer-term injury for McManus would hurt the team a lot more in the long run than the potential short-term gains of having him kick over Havrisik.
McManus has missed two field goals and an extra point so far this season, but two of those were blocked, making it hard to blame the 34-year-old. Even with Havrisik coming off a hot start, most Packers fans will feel more comfortable having McManus out there on Sunday. What decision the coaching staff will end up making will be fascinating to watch.