The Broncos apparently will have a new kicker. Brandon McManus is posting on social media that he’s being released. But I don’t think we’ve seen the last of him.
McManus is being chopped in part (I think) because he’s attempted more long kicks than anyone else in the league. Those kicks are harder to make, of course, so it makes McManus’ overall body of work look less impressive than it actually is. The extra 50-yard misses make it appear as if McManus isn’t reliable in general (which isn’t true).
McManus has attempted 51 field goals from 50-plus over the last five years, 14 more than anyone else. He’s made only 29 of those, for a success rate of 57 percent. (In today’s game, 57 percent from 50-plus is below average, so factor that into your McManus decision making – while he’s attempted a lot of long kicks, he’s nothing special in that regard).
But look at McManus on field goals inside 50 yards. He’s hit 91 percent. That ranks 4th among active kickers. In the 32-team era, 65 kickers have attempted at least 100 such field goals, and only four have been more accurate than Manus. (In the chart below, I’ve got the players ordered by their accuracy on the field goals under 50 yards.)
So I would figure that teams that are looking for kickers (the Cowboys, for example, and perhaps the Rams and Packers later) would put McManus on their list of possibilities.
As for the Broncos, there are plenty of other veterans out there looking for kicking jobs, including Robbie Gould, Rodrigo Blankenship, Randy Bullock, Ryan Succop and Mason Crosby. Crosby played his college ball at nearby Colorado, but isn’t from there (he’s originally from Texas).
| FIELD GOALS INSIDE AND OUTSIDE 50 YARDS | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | < 50 Yd | Pct | 50+ Yd | Pct |
| Justin Tucker | 306-321 | 95.3% | 57-80 | 71.3% |
| Harrison Butker | 141-151 | 93.4% | 23-35 | 65.7% |
| Younghoe Koo | 102-112 | 91.1% | 20-25 | 80.0% |
| Brandon McManus | 183-202 | 90.6% | 40-72 | 55.6% |
| Josh Lambo | 112-124 | 90.3% | 16-23 | 69.6% |
| Jason Myers | 166-184 | 90.2% | 29-43 | 67.4% |
| Dustin Hopkins | 175-194 | 90.2% | 15-30 | 50.0% |
| John Kasay | 209-232 | 90.1% | 21-43 | 48.8% |
| Dan Bailey | 216-240 | 90.0% | 33-50 | 66.0% |
| Greg Zuerlein | 250-278 | 89.9% | 44-80 | 55.0% |
| Kai Forbath | 121-135 | 89.6% | 12-19 | 63.2% |
| Daniel Carlson | 119-133 | 89.5% | 24-29 | 82.8% |
| Shayne Graham | 254-284 | 89.4% | 17-32 | 53.1% |
| Neil Rackers | 210-235 | 89.4% | 25-46 | 54.3% |
| Ka'imi Fairbairn | 124-139 | 89.2% | 24-34 | 70.6% |
| Wil Lutz | 148-166 | 89.2% | 17-29 | 58.6% |
| Cairo Santos | 171-192 | 89.1% | 14-27 | 51.9% |
| Stephen Hauschka | 236-265 | 89.1% | 28-45 | 62.2% |
| Matt Bryant | 354-398 | 88.9% | 40-62 | 64.5% |
| Jason Hanson | 225-253 | 88.9% | 31-47 | 66.0% |
| Matt Stover | 200-225 | 88.9% | 4-10 | 40.0% |
| Joe Nedney | 143-161 | 88.8% | 12-20 | 60.0% |
| Jake Elliott | 119-134 | 88.8% | 19-29 | 65.5% |
| Nate Kaeding | 171-193 | 88.6% | 10-17 | 58.8% |
| Dan Carpenter | 212-240 | 88.3% | 24-41 | 58.5% |
| Robbie Gould | 411-466 | 88.2% | 36-51 | 70.6% |
| Adam Vinatieri | 401-455 | 88.1% | 38-61 | 62.3% |
| Graham Gano | 273-310 | 88.1% | 40-60 | 66.7% |
| Jason Sanders | 110-125 | 88.0% | 16-27 | 59.3% |
| Rob Bironas | 215-245 | 87.8% | 24-34 | 70.6% |
| Ryan Succop | 297-339 | 87.6% | 23-47 | 48.9% |
| Shaun Suisham | 205-234 | 87.6% | 6-17 | 35.3% |
| Stephen Gostkowski | 360-411 | 87.6% | 32-43 | 74.4% |
| Sebastian Janikowski | 335-383 | 87.5% | 56-99 | 56.6% |
| Chris Boswell | 178-204 | 87.3% | 24-30 | 80.0% |
| Michael Badgley | 89-102 | 87.3% | 5-13 | 38.5% |
| Randy Bullock | 197-226 | 87.2% | 14-27 | 51.9% |
| Josh Brown | 282-325 | 86.8% | 37-55 | 67.3% |
| Connor Barth | 150-173 | 86.7% | 18-30 | 60.0% |
| Ryan Longwell | 212-245 | 86.5% | 18-27 | 66.7% |
| Chandler Catanzaro | 109-126 | 86.5% | 10-16 | 62.5% |
| Mason Crosby | 352-407 | 86.5% | 43-78 | 55.1% |
| Nick Novak | 165-191 | 86.4% | 17-31 | 54.8% |
| Morten Andersen | 100-116 | 86.2% | 1-3 | 33.3% |
| Phil Dawson | 355-412 | 86.2% | 42-60 | 70.0% |
| Rian Lindell | 254-295 | 86.1% | 17-33 | 51.5% |
| Nick Folk | 293-342 | 85.7% | 34-53 | 64.2% |
| Caleb Sturgis | 107-125 | 85.6% | 13-25 | 52.0% |
| Matt Prater | 302-353 | 85.6% | 71-95 | 74.7% |
| Blair Walsh | 130-152 | 85.5% | 24-35 | 68.6% |
| Jason Elam | 187-219 | 85.4% | 14-24 | 58.3% |
| Mike Vanderjagt | 111-130 | 85.4% | 5-6 | 83.3% |
| Jay Feely | 287-337 | 85.2% | 16-28 | 57.1% |
| John Carney | 183-215 | 85.1% | 5-9 | 55.6% |
| Cody Parkey | 113-133 | 85.0% | 8-10 | 80.0% |
| Mike Nugent | 252-297 | 84.8% | 13-30 | 43.3% |
| Jeff Reed | 205-242 | 84.7% | 8-17 | 47.1% |
| Lawrence Tynes | 179-212 | 84.4% | 11-21 | 52.4% |
| David Akers | 305-362 | 84.3% | 23-43 | 53.5% |
| Jeff Wilkins | 142-169 | 84.0% | 18-22 | 81.8% |
| Olindo Mare | 205-245 | 83.7% | 15-33 | 45.5% |
| Josh Scobee | 215-259 | 83.0% | 26-42 | 61.9% |
| Billy Cundiff | 174-211 | 82.5% | 8-28 | 28.6% |
| Kris Brown | 162-199 | 81.4% | 14-29 | 48.3% |
| Paul Edinger | 74-100 | 74.0% | 14-22 | 63.6% |
—Ian Allan