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After the last two games, Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur has tried to downplay the quad injury that kicker Brandon McManus has dealt with this season. McManus missed two games with the quad issue, but returned to the field against the Pittsburgh Steelers two weekends ago. Since returning to the field, he’s missed three field goals after going 20 of 21 last season for the Packers, which earned him his new three-year contract with Green Bay this offseason.
On Monday, though, LaFleur admitted that McManus, who is still being listed as just a limited participant in practice, is not 100 percent.
Following LaFleur’s statement that McManus is “working through something,” the press asked if it’s a mechanical or health situation. Here was LaFleur’s response:
“No, I definitely say healthwise. He didn’t kick for two straight weeks, but that’s a process we’re working through. We felt confident, in terms of what we’ve been seeing out at practice, and just his ability to make them. That’s where it all starts for us.”
Despite missing games, McManus has proven to be one of the five most costly kickers this year, from an expected points added perspective. Outside of the red zone this year, McManus has only hit three of eight field goal attempts.
As far as practice goes, who knows how much that matters. For example, McManus was great this summer, making his first 25 field goal attempts in training camp. That simply hasn’t translated to the regular season. Either way, LaFleur said that “the plan” is to stick with McManus, even though the team is still keeping Lucas Havrisik, who was a perfect 10 of 10 on field goals and PATs when McManus was out, on the 53-man roster.
Beyond McManus, LaFleur gave some updates on other injured players on Monday, too. He said that receiver Matthew Golden, left guard Aaron Banks and defensive tackle Colby Wooden did not suffer long-term injuries on Sunday, even going as far as calling Golden day-to-day.
He also added that receiver Dontayvion Wicks and defensive end Lukas Van Ness, who missed last week’s action due to injury, could “potentially” return this week. Receiver Jayden Reed is “getting healthier,” but LaFleur wouldn’t go as far as calling Reed close to returning to the 53-man roster from the injured reserve.
