The Los Angeles Rams brought in veteran Brandon McManus this week, making him their third kicker of the season. Yeah, you read that right. Third kicker. He’s also their third in the last two weeks. This whole situation is insane for a team that’s supposed to be contenders but is sitting at a miserable 2-4 record.
The Kicker Carousel Keeps Spinning
Man, the Rams’ kicking situation is a total mess. Before McManus, they had Harrison Mevis, but he got the boot last week because he was struggling big time. Four missed field goals this season? Ouch. Then they brought in Blake Grupe, who lasted exactly one game. Grupe was in there for their 18-16 loss to Arizona last Sunday, and get this: he tore a knee ligament while making a tackle on kickoff coverage. Seriously, the kicker getting hurt trying to stop a return? That tells you everything you need to know about how bad their special teams coverage has been. Grupe’s done for the season. Total nightmare.
Can McManus Stabilize This Chaos?
So now they’re hoping McManus, who’s about to start his 13th NFL season, can be the answer. The dude’s got experience, that’s for sure. He spent the last two seasons with Green Bay and started his career with nine seasons in Denver, even snagging a Super Bowl ring back in the 2015 season. But get this: Green Bay actually dropped him after he missed two field goals and an extra point in their 31-27 playoff loss to the Chicago Bears. He had signed a three-year, $15.3 million deal in March 2025, but lasted only one season with them. His career numbers are pretty solid though: 297 of 362 on field goals, and only 10 misses on 384 extra points.
But here’s the kicker, no pun intended: McManus is gonna be the sixth kicker the Rams have gone through in less than three and a half seasons. Remember Matt Gay, their Super Bowl-winning kicker from 2021? They just let him walk in early 2023. This isn’t just about bad luck with injuries or a single struggling guy. Mevis’s four missed field goals are just scratching the surface of their “comprehensive struggles” on special teams. Their kick coverage has been terrible, which is exactly why Grupe was even in a position to get hurt trying to make a tackle.
Oh, and there’s another layer to the McManus story. He actually resumed his NFL career in Green Bay in October 2024 after two women sued him and the Jacksonville Jaguars in May 2024. The allegations were about sexual assault during the Jaguars’ London trip in the 2023 season. The Washington Commanders released him after the lawsuit, but the NFL’s investigation didn’t find “sufficient evidence” he violated their personal conduct policy, and the lawsuit was settled before he signed with the Packers.
The Rams are sitting at 2-4, and their special teams is a straight-up dumpster fire right now. Bringing in a veteran like McManus definitely brings experience, but can one guy fix a whole unit that’s melting down around him? The stakes are high for a team that started the season with Super Bowl aspirations. If they can’t get this special teams mess sorted, their season could be over before it even really starts.
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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