Contract Details Revealed For New Jaguars' K Brandon McManus
Brett Hawn
he Jaguars have made drastic changes to their special teams unit after shipping off kicker Riley Patterson to Detroit.
After a surprise release from the Denver Broncos, kicker Brandon McManus was quickly scooped up by Jacksonville on a one-year, $2.35 million contract per The 33rd Team’s Ari Meirov.
The new contract for the 31-year-old is a downgrade in annual value. Had the Broncos opted to keep McManus, he would’ve been on the books for $3.65 million this upcoming season per Spotrac.
The downgrade in value stems from a down campaign for the Super Bowl 50 champion, converting 28 of 36 field goal attempts (77.7%) and finishing 32nd among kickers in extra point percentage with 92.6%.
Considering McManus’s career accomplishments, the Jaguars got themselves an upgrade at a discount. Known for his powerful leg, the 31-year-old was no slouch in the accuracy department, connecting on 81.4% of his field goals and 96.9% of his extra point attempts.
The Jaguars are favored to win the AFC South in 2023 and will benefit greatly from an established kicker who is known for his ability to consistently hit longer kicks. Though Riley Patterson was no slouch in 2022, one can argue that McManus represents a clear upgrade, something teams have to pounce on ten out of ten times.
McManus' new deal makes him the 22nd-highest-paid kicker in the NFL in terms of average annual value after previously being set to be the 16th. In terms of 2023 cap hit, he would come in at No. 16 after previously being No. 11.