Green Bay Packers kicker Brandon McManus signed a three-year, $15.3 million contract with the team … [+] Tuesday.
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Late last season, Green Bay kicker Brandon McManus stood in a quiet corridor inside the Packers’ locker room and said, “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it here. But when it comes to free agency and stuff like that, a lot of it is out of my control. So we’ll have to see what happens.”
What happened should be good news for both the Packers and McManus.
According to ESPN, the veteran kicker — who was headed towards free agency next week — signed a three-year, $15.3 million deal with Green Bay Tuesday that includes $5 million in guaranteed money. McManus would have been a free agent when the new league year begins on March 12.
Green Bay has now signed potential free agents McManus and linebacker Isaiah McDuffie this week.
“It’s a nostalgic place here,” McManus said that day. “It’s an honor to play for this organization. I think a lot of people wear that on their sleeve and they want to play well.”
McManus played remarkably well after signing with Green Bay on Oct. 16.
McManus made 20-of-21 field goals during the regular season (95.2%), the best percentage of his 11-year career and the second-best in team history. Only Mason Crosby — who made all 16 of his field goals in 2020 — had a better year percentage-wise.
McManus also made all 30 of his extra points, meaning he was a sensational 98.0% on all kicks (50-of-51) during the regular season. McManus did miss a field goal in the Packers’ wild card loss to Philadelphia.
“He solidified that journey we were going on,” Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said of McManus in January. “Obviously he’s a veteran guy. I think the thing that was so neat about being around him is not only his confidence, but his ability to adjust no matter where we were.”
Not only did McManus have a career-year with Green Bay in 2024, he cleaned up a two-year problem at the kicking position.
After the Packers moved on from Crosby following the 2022 season, Anders Carlson missed more kicks (11) than anyone in football in 2023. Then Brayden Narveson was just 12-of-17 (70.6%) the first six weeks of 2024 before he was waived.
McManus brought stability back to what had been the weakest spot on the roster and was a big reason Green Bay earned a trip to the postseason. McManus made game-winning field goals against both Houston and Jacksonville in his first two games as a Packer and remained virtually automatic the rest of the year.
“I’m glad he’s here,” Packers special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia said late on the 2024 season. “He’s making us all better all the time, and I believe he’s got a lot of football left to him.”
McManus spent the first nine years of his career with Denver, but did not re-sign with the Broncos after the 2022 campaign. McManus then signed with Jacksonville, where he made 30 of 37 field-goals (81.1%) in 2023.
McManus then took it up a notch in Green Bay.
“He’s been unbelievable,” Packers defensive tackle Kenny Clark said of McManus. “He’s just given us so much stability at that position. When he comes in, you pretty much know it’s going to be good. I hope he’s here a long time.”
After Tuesday, it appears he will be.
