McManus is locked up through the 2027 season
Arguably the biggest free agent that the Green Bay Packers had going into this offseason was kicker Brandon McManus, a 2024 mid-season pickup for the squad who finally broke the chain of less-than-stellar kickers that replaced franchise all-time scoring leader Mason Crosby. An hour before the transition tag deadline, would could have ended with the Packers giving McManus a one-year, $5.73 million tender, Green Bay struck a deal with the kicker.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, McManus inked a three-year, $15.3 million contract that included a $5 million signing bonus. For reference, that $5.1 million per year average salary is good for a three-way tie for tenth place at the position. The highest-paid kicker, in terms of average salary, is Kansas City’s Harrison Butker, who brings in $6.4 million per year.
Getting McManus to sign an extension before hitting the open market should be looked at as a huge win for the Packers. The only other kicker who is close to McManus’ caliber and is set to hit free agency next week when the legal tampering window opens is the Tennessee Titans’ Nick Folk. McManus reaching the market almost certainly would have driven his price up closer to Butker’s number.
With McManus and linebacker Isaiah McDuffie coming back in 2025, Green Bay’s most significant remaining free agents this offseason are center Josh Myers and defensive tackle T.J. Slaton. Besides them, there are no starters set to leave the Packers. Even Slaton, technically a starter, was more of a rotational run-down defender than a true everydown player.
McManus played in 11 games for Green Bay in 2024, his first year with the club, and made 20 of 21 field goal attempts during the regular season.