The Green Bay Packers will finally get in on the action at the 2026 NFL Draft this weekend with eight picks scheduled over the final six rounds. But with all the needs the Packers have going into next season, you may have to forgive them if finding competition for Brandon McManus is lower on their list of priorities.
After a strong first season in Green Bay, McManus fell off a cliff in his first full year with the Packers. Still, head Matt LaFleur and special teams coach Rich Bisaccia supported the veteran at every turn over Lucas Havrisik. McManus finished the year as the kicker, ultimately missing two field goals and an extra point in Green Bay’s wild-card round loss to the Chicago Bears.
With those misses fresh in the minds of Packers fans, cheeseheads want someone to arrive in the draft that can challenge McManus. But the truth is that Green Bay may decide to ride it out and let McManus battle with Havrisik again in 2026.
Packers Fans Will Likely Be Stuck with Brandon McManus in 2026
McManus’s downfall is likely on the Wisconsin citizen test between “Where is the nearest Kwik Trip?” and “Where is the nearest Culver’s?” After making 20-of-21 field goals (95.2 percent) in 11 games in 2024, McManus converted just 24-of-30 (80 percent) of attempts in 2025. That is a rather sizable year-over-year drop, no matter how you slice it.
His implosion in the playoffs and Bisaccia’s departure from the special teams coordinator role made it seem like there could be a new era under Bisaccia’s replacement, Cam Achord. But Bisaccia was a key reference that helped Achord get the job, which could be a problem moving forward.
In addition, LaFleur has stressed the need for patience with McManus, allowing him to work through his struggles. That strategy worked for Mason Crosby during a few rough seasons of his legendary career. But it’s a riskier performance for a player whose only time with a field goal conversion rate over 90 percent or higher came during his 2024 campaign. With the 80 percent conversion rate from last season closer to his career rate of 82 percent, the Packers could be searching for a new kicker. But there aren’t many to go around.
The Athletic’s Dane Brugler gave just three kickers a draftable grade in his guide titled The Beast. Florida’s Trey Smack leads the group with a sixth-round grade. However, if the Packers can’t land Michigan’s Dominic Zvada or Iowa’s Drew Stevens, they could be scouring for an undrafted free agent in the hours after the draft's conclusion.
That’s not a bad thing, as McManus’s 2024 season proves that quality kickers can come out of nowhere. This won't make those who want McManus replaced feel any better, though, as LaFleur’s desire for continuity and familiarity will win out. Even if the Packers do draft a kicker, they may need to be near-perfect to dethrone McManus, and Green Bay could also see Havrisik as a strong fallback option they can hold onto in case the incumbent has another rough year.
This is not what Packers fans want to hear, especially with so many picks coming over the next two days. But with needs at edge rusher, offensive line, defensive tackle, linebacker, wide receiver, cornerback, and running back, the Packers will need those picks to fill their needs across the board if they don’t want to go bargain bin shopping after the draft.
Add it up, and the Packers may let the draft come and go with McManus sitting comfortably as the team’s kicker. It could be another reason Green Bay fans pull their hair out at the end of the weekend.
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