2026 Draft Rd 6 #35 K Trey Smack Florida

[Pokerbrat2000]

Based on McManus past history, it makes me wonder if something has developed that made the Packers skittish about keeping him. This is a real mystery.

While that definitely could be the case, it is still interesting that they still paid him the $1M roster bonus in March. I guess if something arouse between that payment and May 8th, the day they released him, it is a good explanation. With the way the internet works, seems if it was something legal about McManus, we would have heard it by now.

I still think McManus's release had more to do with Smack being drafted. Again, if I was Gute, I would have kept all 3 kickers or released Havrisik.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Here's my thinking on why they cut McManus vs Havrisik. Once they drafted Smack, I think they already resigned themselves to him as the starter. Once they did that, they weren't going to keep McManus as a backup and wanted to keep Havrisik on the roster in that slot for preseason and not cut him for other teams to possibly add for PS.

While I agree that this was probably the thinking, I question it. Like I have said all along. McManus was paid up until the final cutdowns. He was an expensive $1M insurance policy, that they simply tore up before letting it play out. The Packers have hitched their wagons to Smack and Havrisik and will have to live with that for now.

As far as the last part, teams don't have a PS right now. They declare the members of their PS AFTER the Sept. cuts, and those said 16/17 players first have to clear waivers before they can be resigned by the Packers to their Practice Squad. They are also free to sign with any other team, once they clear waivers. So that isn't a rationale for keeping Havrisik over McManus.

My other "playing devils advocate" point that I haven't made is this. Let's say they keep all 3 kickers until Sept. or even just Smack and McManus. If BOTH kickers have an awesome preseason, guess who has a kicker for trade bait? Trading McManus in late August to a team that suddenly finds it is in great need of a quality kicker, for say a 6th round pick, is at least some return on that million dollars they paid McManus.

 

[Voyageur]

While I agree that this was probably the thinking, I question it. Like I have said all along. McManus was paid up until the final cutdowns. He was an expensive $1M insurance policy, that they simply tore up before letting it play out. The Packers have hitched their wagons to Smack and Havrisik and will have to live with that for now.

As far as the last part, teams don't have a PS right now. They declare the members of their PS AFTER the Sept. cuts, and those said 16/17 players first have to clear waivers before they can be resigned by the Packers to their Practice Squad. They are also free to sign with any other team, once they clear waivers. So that isn't a rationale for keeping Havrisik over McManus.

My other "playing devils advocate" point that I haven't made is this. Let's say they keep all 3 kickers until Sept. or even just Smack and McManus. If BOTH kickers have an awesome preseason, guess who has a kicker for trade bait? Trading McManus in late August to a team that suddenly finds it is in great need of a quality kicker, for say a 6th round pick, is at least some return on that million dollars they paid McManus.

No practice squad but they have up to 90 players on their roster including those with future contracts. That's how they were able to hold onto Havrisik, with a contract like that. There will be changes in that group between now and training camp and in training camp the cuts will really start to come down the pike.