Jets' Kicker Competition Could Take New Turn with Brandon McManus Release

The veteran kicker's sudden availability could give New York some food for thought.

Brandon McManus's release from the Packers just gave the Jets a new option to consider. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Jets will not have the luxury of leaning on Nick Folk this season, who signed a two-year deal with the Falcons in free agency. Folk was one of the more efficient kickers in the league in 2025, making 96.6% of his field goals (28-of-29) and showing he still had a big leg, converting 7-of-8 from 50-plus yards out.

Instead, the Jets must figure out whether Cade York, Lenny Krieg, or undrafted free agent Will Ferrin will be their starting kicker in Week 1. Among the three candidates, York has the most NFL experience, but that doesn’t guarantee him the starting job as he’s only a 73.3 percent field-goal kicker.

Therefore, it will be quite interesting to see which kicker rises to the occasion over the next few months. But if none of those guys don’t fit the bill for the Jets, they could look towards free agency, which has a new resident in Brandon McManus. On Friday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the Packers released McManus after only two seasons in Green Bay.

After drafting Florida kicker Trey Smack in the sixth round last month, the Packers released veteran kicker Brandon McManus today, per source. pic.twitter.com/mDWi0MqdWW

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 8, 2026

McManus just signed a three-year, $15.3 million extension last offseason and was given a $1 million roster bonus in March. However, the veteran kicker is coming off a rough 2025 season in Green Bay. Then, to make matters worse, the Packers selected a rookie in the sixth round of the draft, which helped seal McManus’ future with the Packers.

Brandon McManus wouldn't be a terrible fallback option if Jets' kicking competition goes wide left

The 34-year-old McManus took a step back in 2025 after making a career-best 95.2% (20-of-21) of his field goals in 2024. The veteran kicker missed a few games due to injury (insert here), and made 80% of his field goals (24-of-30), which is lower than his career average of 82%.

One of McManus’ biggest issues last season was his accuracy from 40-49, as he went 3-of-7 on field goals, which hasn’t been a problem during his career (insert percentage). But the veteran didn’t have it after going 3-for-4 from that distance in 2024. And if you’re a Jets fan, you might be wondering why the team would even consider McManus based on that?

Brandon McManus's 2025 performance wasn't great. If he can get back on track and return to his old form, though, he could give the Jets' kicking situation a major boost. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

If you look at McManus’ full body of work, he’s converted at least 80% or better of his field goals in seven of his last eight seasons. And not to mention, McManus has a connection to Jets general manager Darren Mougey. Mougey was with the Denver Broncos, serving in various roles for 13 seasons before getting the opportunity in New York.

McManus began his career with the Broncos, where he spent nine seasons, which overlapped with Mougey’s time in the Mile High City.

The Jets should keep tabs on McManus because no one knows how this kicker competition will play out. One has to imagine that head coach Aaron Glenn and special teams coordinator Chris Banjo will give everyone a fair chance to compete and showcase their skills in training camp and maybe the preseason.

However, if there are any slip-ups, such as a bunch of missed kicks, the Jets shouldn’t hesitate to bring in a veteran kicker to settle the tide. In the NFL, if you have a consistent kicker, you’ll win a lot of games or at least have a chance to put points on the board. New York must realize that fact to compete for a playoff spot next season.