Brandon McManus

Commanders To Sign K Brandon McManus

After a Jaguars one-off, Brandon McManus will have another opportunity. The longtime Broncos kicker has a deal in place with the Commanders.

The veteran specialist informed NFL.com’s Jason McCourty of his deal, which is a one-year pact worth $3.6MM. This will be McManus’ third team in three seasons, with the Broncos having cut him last year. Despite the Jaguars missing out on Wil Lutz today, they will let McManus defect to the Commanders.

In 2023, McManus fared slightly better than he did in his final Broncos season; he made 30 of 37 field goal tries. Though, the strong-legged kicker was only 5 of 10 from beyond 50 yards. McManus has been a good, not great, option throughout his career, making between 80 and 86% of his tries in all but two seasons.

Never topping an 85.7% make rate in a season, McManus has not strayed far from his mean. That has kept the veteran, who played a key part in the 2015 Broncos’ Super Bowl-winning effort as their offense slowed during Peyton Manning‘s final season, on the radar.

Going into his age-33 season, McManus will step in for Joey Slye, who is unsigned. Slye kicked for Ron Rivera in Carolina and Washington, but with a new staff in town, it is safe to assume McManus has a clear runway to win the job. This will be the former Giants UDFA’s 11th season as a regular kicker. As for the Jaguars, they still have their 2022 kicker — Riley Patterson — signed to a futures deal.

K Brandon McManus Reached Out To Jaguars

Brandon McManusĀ unexpectedly found himself on the open market recently, but he was able to find a new home rather quickly. The veteran kicker played a key role in pitching the idea of joining the Jaguars for 2023.

McManus reacted in short order to his Broncos release, a move which caught many off guard and ended his nine-year stint in the Mile High City. He and agent Drew Rosenhaus immediately starting contacting teams which may have represented suitable destinations, but Jacksonville was at the top of the 31-year-old’s list. The reason for that, as detailed by Garry Smits of the Florida-Times Union, was his relationship with Jaguars special teams coachĀ Heath Farwell.

The pair first met before a Broncos-Jaguars game in London, and McManus’ desire to work with Farwell made Jacksonville one of at least six teams he reached out to during his brief free agent period. That interest was obviously reciprocated, since Jacksonville signed McManus to a one-year deal. Later that day, they traded incumbent kickerĀ Riley PattersonĀ to the Lions, marking their commitment to the veteran for at least the short-term future.

“I canā€™t say enough about Riley and what he did for us last season,”Ā head coachĀ Doug PedersonĀ said when asked about the change made at the position.Ā “We wish him the best. But anytime you can add a player like Brandon, whoā€™s got the experienceā€¦ and to get something for Rileyā€¦ itā€™s just an opportunity to help us get better as a football team.”

Smits notes that McManus’ Jaguars deal includes $2.35MM in guranteed money, and a strong season could lead to a longer-term extension of this new relationship. The veteran went 10-for-10 on field goals during the Broncos’ 2015 Super Bowl run, and he has connected on 40 attempts of 50 or more yards during his career. A drop in overall accuracy to 77.8% in 2022 helped convince Denver to move on, though, so much will depend on McManus’ ability to rebound on a team with high expectations on offense, and which has seen considerable turnover at the position in recent years.

The Temple alum made it clear that he was taken aback by being let go in Denver, but he still reflects on his time there fondly. With a new home – one very much of his choosing – he is also confident that he will be able to enjoy a lengthy second chapter in his NFL career.

“We had a great run and hopefully I can have an equally great run here,”Ā McManus said.Ā “Kickers can play a long time. This is an up-and-coming team and Iā€™m looking forward to bringing my leadership here.”

Cowboys Discussed Riley Patterson With Jaguars, Still Looking For Kicker

In the months since Brett Maher‘s postseason accuracy crisis, the Cowboys have not made a major addition at kicker. Tristan Vizcaino resides as the only one on Dallas’ offseason roster.

At least one team kept the Cowboys in mind as it shopped its kicker. The Jaguars contacted the Cowboys when trying to unload Riley Patterson, Todd Archer of ESPN.com notes. This came on a day in which the Jags signed longtime Bronco Brandon McManus, but after announcing they had cut Patterson, the AFC South team found a taker in the Lions. A low-level pick swap ensued to send Patterson back to Detroit.

The Cowboys did not show interest in McManus, according to Archer, who adds the team remains on the hunt at this position. Mike McCarthy mentioned XFL or USFL options. NFL teams are free to sign XFLers; several players who starred in the rebooted league are now on NFL rosters. The second USFL incarnation’s second season runs through July 1. The Cowboys found an All-Pro return man (KaVontae Turpin) from the USFL last year, though they may be eyeing more experience at kicker.

Maher, who worked out for the Broncos last week, remains available. Post-draft, the Cowboys did not shut down — Maher’s five playoff PAT misses aside — another agreement with their two-stint specialist. Maher, who holds the NFL record for most 60-plus-yard field goals (four), went 29-for-32 on field goals last year. That included 9 of 11 makes from beyond 50 yards. But Maher’s postseason issues hampered Dallas down the stretch.

Special teams coordinator John Fassel brought up free agents Robbie Gould, Mason Crosby and Ryan Succop. The 49ers chose Jake Moody in Round 3 to replace Gould, while Archer indicates the Cowboys were not interested in drafting a kicker in the third or fourth rounds like the 49ers and Patriots (Chad Ryland, Round 4) did. Gould, 40, has been an NFL kicker for 18 seasons. Crosby logged 16 with the Packers, who drafted Anders Carlson in the sixth round. Succop spent the past three seasons with the Bucs, stopping Tampa Bay’s near-decade-long kicker carousel.

This marks the second straight offseason in which the Cowboys are looking around at kicker. Their 2022 competition imploded during training camp. Both Jonathan Garibay and Lirim Hajrullahu ended up being waived in August, with Maher returning after a camp tryout. Vizcaino, 26, has kicked in 10 games for four different teams — the 49ers, Chargers, Cardinals and Patriots — from 2020-22. The Washington alum is 11-for-12 on field goals but was just 10 of 15 on PATs during his lone extended run — with the 2021 Chargers, who cut him after signing Dustin Hopkins.

Jaguars Sign K Brandon McManus

It did not take long for Brandon McManus to find a new home. The longtime Broncos kicker reached an agreement to join the Jaguars. The Jags announced the deal Thursday.

While Denver has enjoyed kicker stability over the past decade, Jacksonville has cycled through several options at the position in recent years. The defending AFC South champions will now add an experienced specialist. The Jags waived kicker Riley Patterson to make room on their roster.

McManus, 31, called his Broncos release an “absolute shock,” per Denver7’s Troy Renck. He will rebound quickly, with Adam Schefter of ESPN.com noting this is a one-year Jaguars agreement (Twitter links). McManus will bring nine years’ experience as an NFL kicker, having taken over for Matt Prater in Denver in 2014. While Jacksonville will not offer the altitude advantage Denver provides kickers, the former Super Bowl-winning specialist will move to a team in better position to contend.

The Broncos had extended McManus on a four-year, $17.2MM deal before the 2020 season. Although two years remained on that contract, Sean Payton continues to make special teams changes with his new team. This marks a major change for Denver, which has only used three primary kickers (McManus, Prater, Jason Elam) since 1993. Patterson ended up lasting only one season as Jacksonville’s kicker.

Although McManus served as Denver’s kicker for a lengthy stretch, he is coming off his most inaccurate season since 2017. The former UDFA made just 77.8% of his field goals last season. While one of those was a 64-yard try at sea level — via Nathaniel Hackett‘s bizarre Week 1 decision that began an odd Broncos season — McManus missed four other attempts from beyond 50 yards and two from inside 40 yards. McManus did make eight 50-plus-yard field goal tries last season, marking the second-most of his career. He connected on 10 such attempts in 2020.

McManus served as a significant contributor to the Broncos’ Super Bowl 50-winning season. As Peyton Manning‘s injury-accelerated decline hit in full force in 2015, McManus went 10-for-10 on field goal tries during the playoffs. That included three Super Bowl makes. While the Broncos have largely struggled since that night, McManus represented the most consistent presence on the roster. He will now attempt to carve out a multiyear role with a second NFL employer.

Whereas the Broncos employed McManus since 2014, the Jaguars have used eight kickers in just the past three seasons. Patterson brought stability, after a six-kicker 2020 and multi-kicker 2021. The Jags brought in Patterson as a waiver claim just before last season, adding the young kicker shortly after the Lions waived him. Patterson made 85.7% of his field goal tries last year and was 36 of 37 on extra points. While Patterson only made three kicks from beyond 50 yards, that came on three attempts.

Broncos Release K Brandon McManus

The Broncos have parted ways with the last remaining member of their Super Bowl 50-winning team. Kicker Brandon McManusĀ revealed (on Twitter) that he has been released. He will be designated a post-June 1 cut, per a team announcement.

The 31-year-old added “more to come in the following days” to his announcement, which could point to a new contract coming together in the near future. That would come as no surprise, since he represents arguably the top available option at the position at this point in the offseason. As a result, a number of teams should be expected to show considerable interest in him.

By releasing McManus with the post-June 1 designation, the Broncos will save $3.75MM this season and $3.95MM in 2024. No guranteed money remained on his contract, but this move still constitutes a surprise considering the former UDFA’s status as one of the league’s more productive kickers. After four consecutive seasons with a field goal percentage rate of at least 80%, McManus’ accuracy did drop to 77.8% in 2022, however.

The Temple alum ranks second in franchise history in terms of both total points and career field goal percentage. His nine-year stint in the Mile High City also ranks second, behind onlyĀ Jason Elam. McManus will likely be best remembered for his play during Denver’s Super Bowl run in 2015. He went 10-for-10 on field goals during that postseason, converting all three extra point tries as well.

Given his track record, he should have multiple offers within a quick span. The Cowboys have been public about their desire to add a veteran at the kicker position, which should make them a team to watch in McManus’ free agent period. He will be joined on the open market by the likes of Robbie Gould, Mason CrosbyĀ andĀ Ryan Succop. The Broncos, meanwhile, now no longer have a kicker on their 90-man roster.

“Developing into one of the NFLā€™s most productive kickers, Brandon made so many clutch kicks for this franchise over the years as a Super Bowl champion and team captain,” a statement from Broncos GMĀ George Paton reads in part. “He will always hold a special place in Denver Broncos history. We thank Brandon for all he did for the Broncos, and we wish him and his family the very best in the future.”

NFL COVID-19 List Updates: 1/7/22

Today’s updates for the Reserve/COVID-19 list:

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

San Francisco 49ers

  • Activated fromĀ Reserve/COVID-19 list: CBĀ Ambry Thomas

Tampa Bay BuccaneersĀ 

NFL COVID-19 List Updates: 1/3/22

Here are Monday’s activations from and placements on the reserve/COVID-19 lists:

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

  • Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: OT Mike Remmers (remains on IR)

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

  • Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: RB Raymond Calais (remains on IR)

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Washington Football Team

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/23/20

Here are Wednesday’s minor moves:

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/14/20

We’ll keep track of the latest minor moves here:

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Cleveland Browns

DenverĀ Broncos

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

AFC West Notes: Bolts, Broncos, Incognito

Tyrod Taylor could be on the verge of being benched in September for a second time in three seasons. A chest injury he was battling caused Justin Herbert to be called upon Sunday, and NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo report Taylor received a pregame injection to the area (Twitter link). Complications ensued, prompting Chargers HC Anthony Lynn to call on Herbert. While the No. 6 overall pick fared better than could be expected, given the lack of offseason prep time, Lynn has not named him the Chargers’ Week 3 starter. The fourth-year coach said he will turn back to Taylor when he is “100%” recovered from the chest setback.

Whether “100%” will be how the Bolts justify keeping Herbert in the lineup or not, it would seem difficult for the team to give the job back to its bridge starter. The Chargers drafted a quarterback in the first four rounds for the first time since 2006 and saw him throw for 311 yards in an overtime loss, making it entirely possible Taylor is benched again. The Browns sidelined Taylor after three starts in 2017.

Here is the latest from the AFC West:

  • Von Miller has not given up on returning this season. The Broncos‘ future Hall of Fame linebacker has been studying how some non-NFL athletes returned in three months from the injury he suffered — as opposed to the four- to six-month timetable he was given after suffering a dislocated peroneal tendon — and has told teammates he could return in mid-December, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports notes. However, since this report surfaced, the Broncos lost Drew Lock for perhaps more than a month and Courtland Sutton for the season. They are already down A.J. Bouye and Phillip Lindsay for the foreseeable future, making a playoff run more difficult to envision. As for Miller’s long-term future, the 31-year-old pass rusher has told teammates he is eyeing five or six more seasons, per La Canfora. This tracks with previous Miller plans.
  • Speaking of Lindsay, the Pro Bowl running back will almost certainly miss Week 3 and may be out longer. Rather than turf toe, Lindsay is dealing with a toe sprain, Rapoport notes. This represents a tough break for the UDFA success story, who was discussing an extension shortly after last season’s conclusion. However, the Broncos instead opted to sign Melvin Gordon to a two-year, $8MM deal. Lindsay is set for restricted free agency in 2021.
  • Brandon McManus‘ four-year, $17MM Broncos extension will guarantee the Denver kicker $4MM in 2021, but Mike Klis of 9News notes the deal’s final three seasons are not guaranteed (Twitter link). McManus is due to earn base salaries of $3MM (2022), $3.75MM (’23) and $3.95MM (’24) over the course of the deal, which also came with a $2.5MM signing bonus. The Broncos have used McManus as their kicker since 2014 but are not committed to him beyond 2021.
  • Richie Incognito left Monday night’s Raiders win with an Achilles issue, but the veteran guard may not miss any time. Incognito aggravated a previous injury but did not suffer a tear, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets. The Raiders were already down right tackle Trent Brown, due to a reportedly not serious calf injury, and backup tackle Sam Young against the Saints.