Tag: Brandon McManus

Top free agent kickers the Ravens could target if Justin Tucker is released

If the Baltimore Ravens decide to part ways with Justin Tucker, here are four potential free agent replacements. 

Justin Tucker is considered by many to be the most outstanding placekicker in NFL history. Statistically, he is the most accurate kicker in league history.

However, nine massage therapists have accused him of sexual misconduct, and these off-the-field issues (pardon the euphemism) cloud his future with the club. 

Tucker is also coming off his worst season as a pro, so there are plenty of on-the-field reasons for Baltimore to move on from him. If the Ravens decide to take that action, here are four potential free-agent replacements.

Nick Folk, Tennessee Titans

He may be 40, but he’s still got it, as he went 21 of 22 this season, including a perfect 6-6 from 50 yards+. That 95% FG accuracy this past season was no fluke either, as his FG% in 2023 was 96%

Eddy Pineiro, Carolina PANTHERS

Going 22 of 26 this past season, Pinieiro is reliable. Coming off a two-year, $4.1 million deal, the Ravens could probably pick ’em up at a good value, too.

Matt Prater, Arizona Cardinals

He’s had a solid, consistent career, but at 41, he’s coming off a torn meniscus. Still, Prater was accurate to 85% in the last season he kicked. There are worse options, but then again, there are probably some better options.

Brandon McManus, Green Bay Packers

The 34-year-old seems to be aging like fine wine, as his FGM percentage has steadily increased over the past three seasons.

However, given what’s going on with Tucker, signing McManus could be a bad look. McManus was accused of sexual assault in May 2024 by two flight attendants on the Jaguars’ team flight from Jacksonville to London.

Packers want veteran kicker Brandon McManus back in 2025

Packers GM Brian Gutekunst said he wants to bring back veteran kicker Brandon McManus — who is scheduled to be a free agent — in 2025.

Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst confirmed he wants veteran kicker Brandon McManus back in Green Bay in 2025.

McManus, who turns 34 years old in July, is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent when his contract expires in March.

In his season-ending press conference Thursday, Gutekunst didn’t hide his desire to re-sign the veteran specialist after he fixed the team’s lingering problem at kicker in the post-Mason Crosby era.

“We would,” Gutekunst said when asked if the Packers want McManus back next year. “Had a good conversation with him before he left. Obviously, how he solidified that journey (at kicker) we were going on. He’s a veteran guy. The thing that was so neat about being around him was not only his confidence, but his ability to adjust, no matter where we were, what weather we had.”

Signed to a one-year deal on Oct. 15, McManus made 20-of-21 field goals and all 30 extra points for the Packers during the regular season. He did miss a 38-yard field goal in Philadelphia during Sunday’s postseason defeat.

Despite the disappointing finish, McManus still made two game-winning field goals and connected on all three of his kicks over 50 yards, including a go-ahead 55-yarder in frigid temps at Lambeau Field in the season finale.

Gutekunst said he’d be confident in the specialist group if McManus returns with punter Daniel Whelan in 2025.

“If we were able to get Brandon back, it would make me feel very, very good about that group,” Gutekunst said.

McManus ended a wild ride at kicker for the Packers over the last two seasons. Anders Carlson, a sixth-round pick in 2023, replaced Crosby, the team’s all-time leader in field goals and points. But Carlson struggled as a rookie and missed a crucial kick in the postseason, so the Packers added Greg Joseph for offseason competition. Neither Carlson nor Joseph won the kicking job outright coming out of training camp, so the Packers rolled the dice with rookie Brayden Narveson, who ended up missing five of his first 17 kicks before the Packers made the change to McManus in October.

McManus made 95.2 percent of his field goals in 2024, a career high. He just finished his 11th NFL season — his first in Green Bay after nine in Denver and one in Jacksonville. His career field goal percentage is 82.2, but he’s missed only 22 career kicks inside 50 yards and just nine extra points during his career.

2-ex Broncos won their first starts with new teams on Sunday

Russell Wilson won his first start for the Steelers and Brandon McManus kicked a game-winning field goal for the Packers days after signing.

A pair of Denver Broncos players won their first starts with their new clubs on Sunday.

Ex-Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson got the nod for the Pittsburgh Steelers, replacing Justin Fields in the lineup. Wilson went 16-of-29 passing for 264 yards with two touchdown passes and no turnovers. He also rushed for a touchdown and was only sacked once as the Steelers defeated the New York Jets 37-15 at home.

Following that performance, Wilson is probably locked in as the Steelers’ starter going forward. Wilson, 35, was benched by Denver coach Sean Payton with two games remaining last season. The Broncos then cut Wilson in March and he quickly landed in Pittsburgh.

Another ex-Denver player, kicker Brandon McManus, won his first game with the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. After signing with the Packers last Tuesday, McManus kicked a 45-yard game-winning field goal to seal a 24-22 victory over the Houston Texans on Sunday.

McManus, 33, played for the Broncos from 2014-2022, helping the team win Super Bowl 50 following the 2015 season. After being cut by Payton last year, McManus spent last season with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He joined the Washington Commanders this spring but was cut after being accused of sexual assault. After the NFL said there was insufficient evidence to discipline McManus for the allegations, he signed with the Packers.

A third ex-Denver player, quarterback Drew Lock, got garbage time minutes against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday after the New York Giants took out Daniel Jones in the fourth quarter. Lock went 3-of-8 passing for six yards and was sacked once in New York’s 28-3 loss to Philly. Lock also rushed once for 13 yards and fumbled twice.

When the Broncos host the Carolina Panthers in Week 8, they will welcome back former defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, defensive lineman DeShawn Williams and linebacker Josey Jewell.

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Brandon McManus kicks Packers past Texans

Brandon McManus proved to be a prudent Packers pickup this week

The Green Bay Packers changed kickers this week and were rewarded for signing Brandon McManus.

The veteran kicked a 45-yard field goal as time expired on Sunday at Lambeau to give the Packers a 24-22 victory over the Houston Texans.

McManus made his first field-goal attempt as a Packer after connecting on three PATs.

He signed with Green Bay on Wednesday.

The Packers and Texans exit Week Seven with 5-2 records, respectively.

New Packers kicker Brandon McManus should be a big upgrade in this area

Kicks between 40 and 49 yards have been a BIG problem for the Packers over the last two seasons. New kicker Brandon McManus should help.

In today’s NFL, kickers are nearly perfect from 39 yards and in and improving but still variable on kicks of 50 or longer, making the range in between — from 40 to 49 yards — so valuable in judging the kicker.

In signing veteran Brandon McManus, the Green Bay Packers should be getting a big improvement in this vital range.

Between Anders Carlson and Brayden Narveson over the last two regular seasons, the Packers were 9-for-17 on field goals between 40 and 49 yards. Carlson was 4-for-8 from that distance during the regular season, and his 43-yard miss in San Francisco was a game-changing play late in the Packers’ playoff loss. Narveson started this season 5-for-9, with an NFL-high four misses between 40 and 49 yards, including a 44-yard miss on Sunday. He was also one of three kickers to miss from inside 40. His inconsistencies inside 50 forced the Packers’ hand.

The problem could be solved by McManus, who is arriving in Green Bay after connecting on 72 of his 84 attempts (85.7 percent) between 40 and 49 yards during his 10-year NFL career.

Since 2010, McManus ranks ninth in field goal percentage among kickers with at least 10 attempts between 40 and 49 yards. He is also eight percentage points better than the league average (77.7) over that time span.

Overall, McManus has connected on 90.8 percent of his kicks inside 50 yards. He has been remarkably reliable on kicks that NFL kickers are expected to make. His career field goal percentage of 81.8 is weighed down heavily by 82 attempts over 50 yards, a result of having a big, powerful leg and playing nine seasons with the Denver Broncos in the altitude.

McManus has also made 97.1 percent of his career extra points, and he’s coming off a season in which he made 35-of-35 for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Last season, McManus went 60-for-62 on kicks of 49 yards or in and extra points combined. He’s going to get the points that kickers are expected to consistently get. Viewed that way, McManus is a massive upgrade for the Packers at kicker.

3 ex-Broncos players found new NFL homes on Tuesday

Ex-Broncos players Brandon McManus (Packers), Marquez Callaway (Bucs) and Ronnie Perkins (Cardinals) found new NFL homes on Tuesday.

A trio of former Denver Broncos players found new NFL homes on Tuesday.

Perhaps most notably, the Green Bay Packers signed kicker Brandon McManus. He served as Denver’s kicker from 2014-2022, helping the team win Super Bowl 50 following the 2015 season.

Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed wide receiver Marquez Callaway. He had a cup of coffee with the Broncos last summer, competing in training camp and preseason before being cut when Denver set its 53-man roster.

Finally, the Arizona Cardinals signed pass rusher Ronnie Perkins to their practice squad. Perkins spent part of the last two years with the Broncos before being released from injured reserve with an injury settlement last month.

Elsewhere on the ex-Denver player front, the Falcons promoted defensive lineman Matt Hennessy to their 53-man roster.

On the injury front, the Cardinals placed kicker Matt Prater (knee) on injured reserve and the Lions placed defensive lineman Kyle Peko (pec) on IR.

As for the Broncos, they cut two players on Tuesday, perhaps to make room for other players set to return from IR this week.

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Packers signing K Brandon McManus, releasing K Brayden Narveson

The Packers are making a midseason change at kicker. Out is Brayden Narveson, in is veteran Brandon McManus.

The Green Bay Packers are making a midseason switch at kicker. According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, the Packers are releasing rookie Brayden Narveson and signing veteran Brandon McManus, who worked out for the team on Tuesday.

Narveson missed an NFL-high five field goals through six weeks, including at least one miss in four of six games this season. His latest miss was a 44-yarder wide right at Lambeau Field on Sunday. The Packers claimed Narveson off waivers after final cuts in response to a failed kicker competition between Anders Carlson and Greg Joseph during the offseason and training camp. Despite wanting to be patient, Narveson forced the team’s hand with a lack of improvement.

The Packers will now turn to McManus, a 33-year-old kicker with 10 years of NFL experience.

Last season, McManus made 30 of 37 field goals (81.1 percent) and 35 of 35 extra point attempts for the Jacksonville Jaguars. He made 11 of 13 field goals between 40-49 yards and 5 of 10 field goals of 50 or longer. He was one of only eight qualifying kickers to make every extra point attempt in 2023.

McManus signed a one-year deal with the Washington Commanders this offseason, but he was released in June after sexual assault allegations arose in a lawsuit claiming inappropriate behavior by McManus on a flight to London while with the Jaguars last season. The NFL investigated the allegations but determined McManus would not face punishment for violating the league’s policy, per ESPN.

McManus won a Super Bowl as a member of the Denver Broncos in 2015.

McManus has made 45 career kicks over 50 yards. His career field goal percentage is 81.4.

The Packers did not immediately announce the roster moves, although both announcements — Narveson’s release and McManus’ signing — could arrive Wednesday. Matt LaFleur’s team plays the 5-1 Houston Texans on Sunday at Lambeau Field.

Packers work out veteran kicker Brandon McManus

With Brayden Narveson struggling, the Packers worked out veteran kicker Brandon McManus.

The Green Bay Packers worked out veteran kicker Brandon McManus on Tuesday, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network.

Although coach Matt LaFleur suggested the Packers would not be making a move at kicker, rookie Brayden Narveson has missed an NFL-high five field goals through six weeks, including a 44-yarder last Sunday at Lambeau Field.

McManus, 33, has attempted 311 career field goals over 10 NFL seasons. His career field goal percentage is 81.4. McManus has kicked for the Denver Broncos (2014-2022) and Jacksonville Jaguars (2023). He signed a one-year deal with the Washington Commanders in 2024 but was released after sexual assault allegations dating back to 2023 surfaced.

The NFL did not discipline McManus following an investigation into the allegations.

The lawsuit accuses McManus of committing sexual assault while on a flight to London while with the Jaguars last year.

Last season, McManus made 30 of 37 field goals (81.1 percent) and 35 of 35 extra point attempts for the Jaguars. He made 11 of 13 field goals between 40-49 yards and 5 of 10 field goals of 50 or longer. He was one of only eight qualifying kickers to make every extra point attempt in 2023.

McManus was the kicker of the Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos in 2015.

No signing was immediately announced. The Packers have an open spot on the practice squad, however.

NFL hands down opposite verdicts for ex-Broncos Von Miller and Brandon McManus

The NFL will not suspend Brandon McManus after he was accused of sexual assault. Von Miller, meanwhile, has received a four-game suspension.

One day after former Denver Broncos kicker Brandon McManus avoided a possible suspension, ex-Denver pass rusher Von Miller received a suspension.

The NFL investigated an incident that led to a pair of flight attendants suing McManus, accusing him of sexual assault during a Jacksonville Jaguars flight to London in 2023. The league determined that McManus will not be suspended.

“There was insufficient evidence to support a finding that a violation of the personal conduct policy occurred. As always, if new evidence is presented it would be taken into consideration,” NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said, via Mark Maske of the Washington Post.

McManus remains a free agent.

One day later, the NFL handed down a four-game suspension to Miller for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. That suspension seemingly resulted in response to Miller being accused of assaulting his pregnant girlfriend in November 2023. Miller’s accuser later said there was no assault.

Miller will be eligible to play for the Buffalo Bills again in Week 9.

Miller and McManus were teammates with the Broncos from 2014-2021, helping the team win Super Bowl 50 following the 2015 season.

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Report: Lawsuit against former Jaguars K Brandon McManus dismissed

Report: Lawsuit against former Jaguars K Brandon McManus dismissed

Content warning: This story includes descriptions of alleged sexual assault.

Florida 4th Circuit Court judge Michael S. Sharrit dismissed a lawsuit filed by two women against former Jacksonville kicker Brandon McManus and the Jaguars on Tuesday, per ESPN’s Michael DiRocco, which accused the 33-year-old of sexual assault during a team flight to London last year.

The judge granted a motion filed by McManus’ attorney, Brett Gallaway, ruling that the women’s use of aliases does not meet “exceptional case” criteria for anonymity in bringing the case.

The women, currently identified as Jane Doe I and Jane Doe II, are allowed 10 days to re-file the lawsuit with proper name identification. They plan to do so, according to their attorney, Tony Buzbee.

“Most defendants in sexual assault cases file these types of motions thinking that the victims won’t proceed if they have to publicly reveal their names,” Buzbee told ESPN in a statement.

“We anticipated this ruling. To be clear, these women have no intention to run and hide, and will comply with the court’s order in a timely fashion. We look forward to continuing to pursue this important case.”

The lawsuit, filed in May, alleged McManus groped both women multiple times while appearing intoxicated during the Jaguars’ Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings charter flight to London on Sept. 28, 2023.

Doe I claims that McManus tried to kiss her while the plane experienced turbulence and she was seated.

Further, the lawsuit suggests McManus offered money to three other flight attendants to drink and dance inappropriately in what was described as a party-like atmosphere on the flight.

Doe I and Doe II are stated to have experienced “severe mental anguish, anxiety, psychological and emotional distress, embarrassment and humiliation” in the aftermath of McManus’ alleged conduct. Both were removed from the Jaguars’ core charter flight staff crew.

The Jaguars were accused of gross negligence for “failing to properly hire McManus, train him about inappropriate and sexual contact with flight staff, supervise him on the flight, adopt policies and procedures to protect flight staff from sexual misconduct by its employees, and enforcing a zero-tolerance policy regarding inappropriate behavior,” per DiRocco’s reporting.

The women sought over $1 million and demanded a jury trial in the original filing.

“We are very pleased with the court’s order in connection with Mr. McManus’ motion to dismiss these baseless allegations,” Gallaway said in a Tuesday statement, via DiRocco. “We look forward to him returning to the NFL playing field as soon as possible.”

Jacksonville did not re-sign McManus following his lone season with the club in 2023. He went 30-of-37 on field goal attempts and 35-of-35 on extra point attempts over 17 games with the Jaguars.

Washington signed McManus in Match but released him in June after the lawsuit was filed.

The Jaguars declined to issue a statement after the case was dismissed.

Doug Pederson comments on ‘disappointing’ lawsuit vs. McManus, Jaguars

Pro Football Talk reported in May that the Jaguars could face discipline from the NFL for allegedly allowing alcohol onto the flight, citing a Nov. 2022 memo from the league reminding teams of rules against possession and consumption in team facilities or during team-sponsored travel.