The Los Angeles Rams have cycled through nine different kickers since Greg Zuerlein bounced in 2020, and get this: it looks like that nightmare still isn’t over. Six years later, Sean McVay’s squad is trying out 42-year-old Matt Prater, who’s four years older than Zuerlein is today, and they’re bringing in a new kicker midseason for the fourth time. Talk about a revolving door, huh?
Kicking Cheap Has a Price Tag
Back in 2020, the Rams decided to let Zuerlein walk, aiming to get younger and cheaper at the position. Zuerlein was coming off a rough season, going 5-of-11 on field goal attempts between 40-49 yards. He left for the Cowboys to reunite with their special teams coordinator, John Fassel. Now, it’s not like Zuerlein was some unmissable superstar; he hasn’t even kicked since 2024 after stints with the Cowboys and Jets. But L.A.’s replacement plan? That’s where it all went sideways. They held a three-way competition between a seventh-rounder named Sam Sloman, Austin MacGinnis, and Lirim Hajrullahu. If you don’t know those names, it’s because the Rams weren’t looking for a good kicker, they were looking for a cheap one. Sloman won the job, lasted seven games, and then they signed Kai Forbath. He lasted two games before an ankle injury took him out. McVay himself lamented the decision-making at the time, even admitting, “Sometimes you don’t realize how good you have it until you don’t anymore, and I think that’s the honest answer. I think it’s been a struggle. It’s been something that I know we’re working on and guys are certainly trying to get it figured out.”
The Matt Gay Mistake
Then came Matt Gay, a true stroke of luck right in the middle of the season. The Rams locked him up on a two-year deal through 2021, then kept his rights cheap with an RFA tender in 2022. The keyword there? “Cheap.” Gay was money for them, making over 92% of his field goal attempts and even earning a Pro Bowl nod in 2021. But apparently, making the Pro Bowl was his “first mistake.” Why? Because he became too expensive. Gay signed a four-year, $22 million contract with the Colts in 2023, way out of L.A.’s budget. You know, because they needed that cash for guys like Tutu Atwell and Allen Robinson, apparently. Now, Gay had some struggles after leaving, but get this: he’s going to be on the field against the Rams this weekend as a member of the Raiders. He’s 32 years old, 14-of-15 on field goals in 2026, and hasn’t missed an extra point. That’s gotta sting for the Rams, right?
The Carousel Keeps Spinning
So, what’s been happening since Gay skipped town? More volatility, more uncertainty. In 2023, the Rams tried another kicker competition with Tanner Brown and Christopher Dunn, and neither of them even made the roster. Now, Brandon McManus is L.A.’s 10th different kicker since 2019, including Zuerlein. And if you count Ethan Evans, who kicked an extra point this past Sunday, that’s another name on the list. When McManus takes the field against the Las Vegas Raiders, the Rams’ kicker count will officially hit double digits since Zuerlein. Only the Jets, Titans, and Commanders have signed more kickers since 2019, but with the season not over yet, who knows, L.A. might be aiming for the top spot.
The Rams’ frugality on special teams over what amounts to a fraction of the $20 million they could afford for an Aaron Donald reunion bites them every single season. And here we are, facing Matt Gay, the guy they let walk, this weekend. The Rams will trot out Brandon McManus as their 10th kicker since Zuerlein left, and you just know every single kick is going to be under the microscope.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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