Denver Broncos Release Team's Kicker After 9 Seasons

The Denver Broncos have made the decision to release Brandon McManus, their long-time kicker, after a season that saw him experience a decline in performance.

McManus, who has been with the Broncos for nine years, played in 144 out of 146 regular-season games during his tenure.

While the move may be driven by cap space considerations rather than solely based on his performance, it is worth noting that his non-guaranteed base salaries for 2023 and 2024 were set at $3.65 million and $3.85 million, respectively.

A surprise: the Broncos informed kicker Brandon McManus, the last remaining member of Denver’s last Super Bowl team, and the man who has kicked for the team since 2014, that they are releasing him, per sources. There’s now an added veteran kicker for kicker-needy teams. pic.twitter.com/4ezFtqHXGH
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 23, 2023

During the 2022 season, McManus struggled slightly, converting 28 out of 36 field goal attempts, marking his lowest field goal percentage since 2017. He also made 25 out of 27 extra-point attempts.

While his career field goal success rate of 81.4 percent may not meet modern standards, it's important to consider that a significant portion of his attempts were from long distances due to his strong leg and the high altitude in Denver.

The @Broncos have informed me I’ve been released. More to come in the following days
— Brandon McManus (@thekidmcmanus) May 23, 2023

In fact, 26.3 percent of his career field goal attempts have been from 50 yards or more, accounting for 62.7 percent of his misses.

Although it remains uncertain who will replace McManus in Denver, there are teams like the Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Rams that are currently in need of an established kicker. This suggests that McManus, with his experience and previous success, may find a new opportunity relatively quickly.

It is expected that he will receive a tryout with a team before the start of the upcoming season. Photo Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports