The Green Bay Packers watched free agency wind down and opted not to add a player of note to compete with Brandon McManus. One of the oddest decisions of Green Bay's offseason has been opting to double down on a kicker who helped author the team's playoff collapse. McManus took seven points off the board for the Packers in the team's playoff collapse to the Chicago Bears. The kicker missed a pair of field goals and an extra point, leaving little room to debate his role in the frustrating loss.
McManus had previously shown regression in the regular season, watching his field goal percentage drop by 15 percent. Green Bay was given every reason to turn the page. However, the franchise is playing with fire instead, keeping a kicker that has proven he cannot be trusted when the game matters most. It is difficult to defend the Packers' decision.
The primary concern is that even if McManus returns to form and is productive in the regular season, that alone doesn't achieve Green Bay's goal. The franchise has built a core capable of contending for a Super Bowl, and the expectation remains that this is a possibility, one that McManus is now a clear liability.
Packers Betting on Brandon McManus Presents Clear Concerns Heading Into 2026 Season
If the veteran kicker were able to turn things around and produce at the expected level, there would still be postseason demons haunting fans in Green Bay. McManus's collapse on the biggest stage leaves nothing that the kicker can reasonably do in the regular season to wipe away this lingering worry. Still, the Packers waited too long to find another answer and are clearly going to bet that McManus can turn the corner and put the collapse behind him.
It is important to note that McManus suffered a quad injury in the regular season, and it appears to be considered the reason for the kicker's regression. While this is a reasonable take in some ways, it does little to reassure Packer fans who watched a healthy McManus collapse against a hated division rival.
What makes potential lingering struggles all the more dangerous is the fact that Green Bay has no fallback plan. The franchise isn't going to spend a draft pick on a kicker when McManus remains on the roster and free agency offers no clear solutions at this point in the offseason.
For better or worse, McManus has been given a level of job security that should concern Packer fans. The franchise has to hope that last season was an outlier and that the veteran can put his career back on track.
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