The Green Bay Packers could have some good news ahead of Sunday night’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Kicker Brandon McManus has been working his way back from a quad injury in advance of Sunday’s game and the team could welcome him back to the lineup when they kick off in Pittsburgh.
While McManus has his spot on the roster, it created some uncertainty for his replacement Lucas Havrisik. Typically, McManus’s return would mean that Havrisik get released, but the Packers opted to go in with two kickers on the 53-man roster in advance of Sunday’s game.
This could be the Packers hedging their bets, having Havrisik on standby in case McManus can’t make it through the entire game. But with the NFL’s trade deadline approaching on Nov. 4, it could pay off in a big way if a desperate team comes calling.
Packers Surprising Kicker Dilemma Could Pay Off Before the Trade Deadline
Most NFL teams don’t play this game. When a starting kicker gets hurt, they usually reclaim their job and the person that replaces him goes on to their next team. But Havrisik has required the Packers to make a tough decision with his performance.
Havrisik was the full-time kicker for the Los Angeles Rams in 2023, making 15-of-20 field goals (75%) and 19-of-22 extra points (86.4%) before he spent last season on the practice squads of the Cleveland Browns and Buffalo Bills.
After kicking for the UFL’s Arlington Renegades last spring, Havrisik found his opportunity with the Packers and has taken full advantage. Havrisik has made all 10 of his kicks including four field goals in Green Bay. It also includes a franchise record 61-yard field goal against the Cincinnati Bengals, which may have put him on the radar of desperate teams.
Those teams may have been willing to pounce on Havrisik the moment the Packers made him available. But the Packers may be playing the right kind of games by holding onto him for another week.
There are several contenders that may be looking for an upgrade at kicker heading into the second half and may be willing to give up draft capital to fix the problem if their struggles continue in Week 8. The Washington Commanders could be one of those teams as Matt Gay has made 10-of-14 (71.4%) field goals in the first seven games of the season and could be in trouble with a rough performance against the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday night.
Even teams on their bye week could be eyeing an upgrade.The Rams are one candidate Joshua Karty has made just 10-of-14 field goals (71.4%) and 19-of-21 (90.5%) extra points through the first seven games. The Jacksonville Jaguars could also be interested after Cam Little has made 10-of-14 field goals (71.45) and 14-of-15 (93.3%) extra points.
If one of these teams is willing to flip a late pick to the Packers, it could be an unlikely win in a situation where teams don’t normally get something in return. It also gives Green Bay a backup plan in case McManus’s return is short-lived.
Either way, hanging onto Havrisik a little longer is a smart move that could pay off for the Packers in the days leading up to the deadline.