The Green Bay Packers’ most sought-after free agent in the upcoming class very well might be kicker Brandon McManus. McManus, according to Pro Football Focus, was the 12th-ranked kicker in the NFL in 2024 with a field goal and extra point grade of 81.6.
For perspective, only one other free agent, Nick Folk of the Tennessee Titans, bested McManus’ grade. Below are how the other unrestricted free agent kickers, according to Spotrac, rank in Pro Football Focus’ regular season and postseason grades:
- Nick Folk: 7th
- Matt Prater: 13th
- Joey Slye: 19th
- Zane Gonzalez: 22nd
- Eddy Pineiro: 32nd
- Austin Seibert: 34th
- Greg Joseph: 36th
Among the players who are starting caliber (top 32 in the league), Matt Prater and Zane Gonzalez were less than full-time starters in 2024. Prater tore his meniscus in Week 5, leading to him landing on the Arizona Cardinals’ injured reserve at 40 years old. Gonzalez wasn’t even signed to the Washington Commanders’ practice squad until November when he was asked to replace the injured Austin Seibert.
It’s worth noting here, though, that Michael Badgley is also a free agent. He’s played in 64 games over his NFL career but tore his hamstring this offseason, leading to the Detroit Lions signing UFL star Jake Bates, who hit 26 of 29 attempts with a long of 58 yards. Badgley, despite not playing in 2024, is another player you should expect to land on a roster in 2025.
So if McManus is going to be sought-after, just how much is he going to get paid? Last offseason, the Washington Commanders gave him a one-year, $3.6 million contract, which they released him from upon learning about a sexual assault lawsuit that former flight attendants of the Jacksonville Jaguars, his former team, had filed. When the case was “resolved” (likely settled out of court), the Packers signed McManus to a much cheaper $1.21 million price tag in October.
According to Spotrac, the average salary for the 12th-ranked kicker in the league right now is $4.85 million. So expect McManus to get a significant pay bump, now that his legal troubles are behind him. Anything from the $3.6 million range that he signed in 2024 to around a $5 million ballpark can be expected, based on how big the gap in the kicking game has grown in the NFL in recent years.
The Packers currently have the 13th-most offseason cap space available in the NFL going into 2025, per Spotrac. That’s before restructures or releases, though, which is particularly important in the case of cornerback Jaire Alexander, who carries a $25.5 million cap hit next year. Green Bay should be able to match whatever McManus can find in the open market, as long as they choose to.
