🚨The Green Bay Packers have officially made one of the most dramatic decisions of their offseason — and according to reactions surrounding the organization, many fans believe it was overdue. Veteran kicker Brandon McManus has officially been released just weeks after Green Bay traded back into the sixth round of the NFL Draft to select rookie kicker Trey Smack out of Florida.

The move may not come as a complete surprise, but the timing certainly raised eyebrows.

According to the report, the Packers had already paid McManus a $1 million roster bonus roughly a month ago, which made many assume the organization planned to let the kicking competition continue through training camp. Instead, Green Bay cut ties almost immediately after rookie minicamp, signaling something extremely important behind the scenes:

The Packers clearly believe Trey Smack is ready to become their starting kicker right now.

And honestly, the frustration surrounding McManus had been building for months.

While Green Bay initially hoped the veteran would stabilize one of the league’s most inconsistent kicking situations, the results simply never matched expectations. According to the report, McManus finished just 6-for-12 on field goals from 40 yards and beyond during the 2026 season — a shocking 50% success rate. In practical terms, that meant every time Green Bay’s offense stalled outside the red zone, fans had almost no confidence the points were guaranteed.

The breaking point came during the Packers’ playoff loss to the Chicago Bears.

McManus reportedly left seven points on the field in Green Bay’s Wild Card defeat, missing two field goals and an extra point during the fourth quarter. According to longtime Packers reporter Rob Demovsky, McManus became the first kicker since Lawrence Tynes in the 2007 NFC Championship Game to miss two fourth-quarter kicks in a playoff game at Lambeau Field. The difference, however, was that Tynes eventually got another opportunity to redeem himself in overtime. McManus never did.

And for many Packers fans, that game effectively ended his future in Green Bay.

The report also noted that McManus struggled throughout the year, missing seven kicks across the team’s first seven games while directly contributing to multiple close losses. Although he suffered a quad injury in October that may have impacted his mechanics and consistency, many around the organization reportedly felt the overall performance simply could not continue.

What made the situation even more confusing was how Green Bay handled it late in the season.

After McManus missed time with injury, temporary replacement Lucas Havrisik stepped in and immediately went 4-for-4 while even drilling a 61-yard field goal. Yet according to the report, Green Bay rushed McManus back into the lineup almost immediately — only for the veteran to continue struggling upon his return.

That sequence of events reportedly left many fans questioning why the Packers remained so committed to McManus despite the inconsistency.

But everything changed the moment Green Bay drafted Trey Smack.

According to the report, the Packers were convinced Smack would not survive until their original seventh-round selection. Internal league intel reportedly suggested at least three teams — the New Orleans Saints, Las Vegas Raiders, and New York Jets — were all seriously interested in drafting him. That fear ultimately pushed Green Bay to trade back into the sixth round to secure the kicker they viewed as the best prospect at the position in the draft.

And based on the Packers’ actions since then, the organization appears fully committed.

New special teams coordinator Kamren Kormet recently praised Smack’s accuracy and ball consistency, specifically emphasizing that Green Bay values reliability over pure kicking distance. According to the report, Kormet reportedly stated that he would rather have a kicker who consistently converts from 55 to 58 yards than someone capable of occasionally making a 65-yard kick.

That quote felt like a direct response to the frustrations surrounding McManus.

Because for all the focus on leg strength in today’s NFL, Green Bay simply wants dependability in big moments again.

Still, there is one major question surrounding Trey Smack moving forward:

Can he handle Green Bay weather?

Smack spent his college career kicking in Gainesville, Florida — a dramatically different environment from late-season games at Lambeau Field. According to the report, even head coach Matt LaFleur directly asked Smack multiple times whether he could handle kicking in cold-weather conditions.

Apparently, Smack’s answer impressed him.

And perhaps the clearest sign of all is this:

If the Packers had any real doubts about Smack’s readiness, they almost certainly would have allowed a full kicking competition to continue through preseason. Financially, there was no major benefit to cutting McManus immediately after already paying his roster bonus. The fact that Green Bay chose to move on right now strongly suggests the organization believes its rookie kicker has already won the job internally.

The decision also arrives during an offseason filled with growing optimism around the Packers.

According to the report, Green Bay currently holds a projected Vegas win total around 10.5 games for the 2026 season, reinforcing expectations that the team should remain one of the stronger contenders in the NFC. The upcoming NFL schedule release is also expected to generate massive attention, with speculation already building that the Packers could open the season in primetime against division rival Chicago following the intensity of last year’s playoff matchup.

But before any of that happens, Green Bay has now officially turned the page at one of the most pressure-filled positions in football.

The Brandon McManus era is over.

And the Trey Smack era has already begun.