Rams' Sean McVay Gives Special Teams Update After Signing Kicker Brett Maher

Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay's update explains what went into the signing of kicker Brett Maher.

The Los Angeles Rams took key special teams decisions down to the wire this offseason. With Week 1 approaching, they decided to pin their hopes on a veteran.

After waiving kicker Tanner Brown, an undrafted rookie, during Tuesday’s roster cutdown, Los Angeles inked Brett Maher to the practice squad. Assuming everything goes to plan, another move will be in the works to add him to the 53-man roster.

The former Dallas Cowboy led the Denver Broncos’ kicking competition deep into camp. However, the Broncos opted to cut Maher and trade for New Orleans Saints kicker Wil Lutz.

Maher ended the preseason on a high note, hitting both field goals and all five extra points in Denver’s 41-0 over Los Angeles. Altogether, he went four-for-six on field goal attempts and eight-for-eight on extra points in the preseason.

Rams head coach Sean McVay spoke to the media on Thursday about the Maher acquisition and his special teams unit as a whole.

“Brett’s a guy that’s got a lot of production, over 90% for his career,” McVay said. “And I think he’s done it for a while. [I] thought Chase [Blackburn] and coach [Jeremy] Springer did a great job of kind of vetting a lot of the different possibilities.”

Maher made headlines last postseason for a rancid performance in which he made a single extra point on five attempts. It’s a harsh reputation to shake, but McVay seems confident that cohesion is the key to finding success this time around.

“It’s good to be able to get him out there today and get acclimated,” McVay said. “You don’t take for granted … the kicker, but the snap and the hold and those three really developing a continuity and rapport is important.

“I was really pleased with the way the operation looked in day one.”

As with anyone signed this late in the process, fans should temper their expectations. There's a reason Dallas let him walk and Denver looked elsewhere. If things go sideways, he may just be a horse on the Rams' kicker carousel. For now, Maher will have until Sept. 10 to get comfortable with holder Ethan Evans and long snapper Alex Ward. 

He'll will likely get a chance to introduce himself in Week 1 against the Seattle Seahawks.