Cory's Corner: Play The Best Players
The kicking situation in Green Bay is completely bizarre.
It's easy to forget about kickers.
They are barely on the field.
Yet, the Packers are currently in the middle of a kicking quagmire right now. When teams have one spot reserved for a kicker on their 53-man roster, the Packers go against the grain and have two.
On Oct. 9, Packers coach Matt LaFleur said that Brandon McManus’ right quadricep was a “major concern.” McManus was then declared inactive vs. Cincinnati. The Packers then brought in this guy by the name of Lucas Havrisik. He made a 43-yard field goal and a 39-yard field goal with 1:52 left to seal the 27-18 win over the Bengals. He then nailed a 31-yard field goal and a 61-yard field goal — which is a Packers franchise record en route to beating the Cardinals 27-23.
Havrisik is 4-for-4 on field goals and is 6-for-6 at extra points. What else is a guy supposed to do?
Yet, the Packers have continually trotted McManus out there. Since returning from injury, McManus is 4-for-8, having missed at least one field goal against Pittsburgh, Carolina and Philadephia.
“As you work through the progression of being injured, obviously, the pain tolerances and everything get better and better,” he said. “Last week was when I felt almost back to normal — pretty much back to normal. Pretty much no pain, didn’t feel anything in my leg.”
That’s not exactly a ringing endorsement and it actually makes things even murkier. Why play a guy that isn’t 100 percent right? Not to mention, the other kicker has proven himself and also has a booming leg. To put this in perspective, McManus made 95 percent of his field goals last year with only one miss and this year, he’s sitting at 65 percent.
Just because the Packers signed McManus to a three-year, $15.3 million deal this past March doesn’t mean he should be kicking no matter what. At some point, LaFleur has to step in and put a priority on winning.
The Packers are 5-3-1 right now. They will need to win five of their remaining eight games to sniff the playoffs and six if they want to win the NFC North. Now is not the time to be worried about who’s playing and who isn’t playing based on contracts.
Now is the time to simply put the best team on the field and stack wins. The last thing the Packers need is to worry about anything other than peaking for the playoffs and getting as many wins as possible.
I think the guy for that right now is not a multi-million dollar guy but the guy who nobody has heard of. The guy that was talking about going back to substitute teaching after calmly making all of his kicks and the guy that made the Packers fans scream in the desert because he made a kick from practically Nevada.
It isn’t just time for Havrisik, it’s past time.
Put the best players on the field. Right now, Havriskik is the Packers best kicker.
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Cory Jennerjohn is a graduate from UW-Oshkosh and has been in sports media for over 15 years. He was a co-host on "Clubhouse Live" and has also done various radio and TV work as well. He has written for newspapers, magazines and websites. He currently is a columnist for CHTV and also does various podcasts. He recently earned his Masters degree from the University of Iowa. He can be found on Twitter: @Coryjennerjohn
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Comments (46)
mrtundra
November 15, 2025 at 07:24 am
Havrisik may have made the 64 yarder, that McManus missed--twice. That would have tied the game, against Phillie. Who knows what OT would have brought?
barutanseijin
November 15, 2025 at 10:03 am
Considering the location and conditions, rather unlikely. He would have had more of a chance than McManus, but still, a hail mary or lateral play would have had an even better chance of succeeding.
Coldworld
November 15, 2025 at 05:33 pm
Right. With that snap as well, I doubt any kicker makes that particular kick. However, it’s more plausible that others missed might have been made.
Starrbrite
November 16, 2025 at 10:15 am
Agree Barut—a FG was an unlikely possibility under those conditions—but we’ll never know?
NickPerry
November 15, 2025 at 03:14 pm
I don't even understand why someone would give this comment a thumbs down.
Boneman
November 15, 2025 at 07:25 am
Just putting the other guy in looks like a no brainer in hindsight. Are you assuming that MLF and Bissacia are idiots and the rest of us are smarter? Come on man! They assess the kickers in practice and go with who they SEE is the better option. McManus is just failing right now on game day. You don't think his 'injury' comments might be a little self serving? Don't assume everybody's dumb on the coaching staff because that is just not true. Sometimes you do the right thing and things don't work out.
HawkPacker
November 15, 2025 at 08:23 am
We don't have to assume. They showed us.
I have been saying for awhile now that they have the wrong guy kicking. It should have been Havrisik. No question.
Look at the advantages. This guy has not missed. He kicked a 61 yarder.
Play him until he takes himself out of contention. And if he doesn't and they can free up their $15 m contract with McManus we have helped our CAP situation.
No brainer!
dobber
November 15, 2025 at 08:24 am
To add on, we're looking at a very limited sample on Havrisik.
Prior to coming to GB he hadn't kicked in the league since 2023 (!!!) when he went 75% on 20 FG attempts and 86% on 22 PATs. For his NFL career, Havrisik is 4 of 9 (44%) outside 40 yards, so his 60+ yarder a few weeks back looks like more of an answered hail Mary.
McManus in 2024: 95% on FGs and 100% on PATs.
...the past two seasons (23-24): 86% on FG, 100% on PATs.
McManus career: 81% on FGs and 97% on PATs, 126/182 (just shy of 70 %) outside 40.
We as fans tend to be very "what have you done for me lately" and kickers go through hot streaks and funks, too--Mason Crosby being a prime example. We were crying for an established kicker a year ago. Gute went out and got one. I'm not dismissing the fact that players go wrong at some point and McManus is no spring chicken, but good kickers usually don't fail completely overnight. I'm not going to judge a kicker negatively because they missed a 64 yarder--both the "practice" and game kick. I'm not dismissing that young kickers develop, too.
But in the end, there's a reason why they haven't tried to return Havrisik to the PS.
IN EDIT:
McManus was a full participant all week, no managed practice reps.
Let's see what he does.
Coldworld
November 15, 2025 at 05:38 pm
And sometimes you do the wrong thing. After 2 or three repetitions the whole thing looks a lot worse. It doesn’t mean everyone is dumb or that all agreed, but it does mean someone has been. LaFleur, Bissacia, a physio? Ultimately it’s on LaFkeur though. He’s the HC and that’s why they are paid. Once was in fortunate but we are passed that.
Coldworld
November 15, 2025 at 07:27 am
The team has seemed reluctant to play anyone not originally conceived of as a key player throughout LaFleur’s tenure. One a player is “in” we’ve seen that it can take poor play for ever to remove them, even when there is another who has looked to be better. Amari Rodgers and the Hanson/Newman experience to highlight a couple of obvious examples.
More recently though, this seems to have extended into an unwillingness to trust injured players over healthy ones that appear to be performing. McManus, Tom (in his one snap game), Hobbs all being examples. One could argue Valentine should have been out there much earlier. One can argue Hobbs and Banks should have been held back to get healthier at the outset, but certainly Valentine should have been out earlier based on play over weeks.
I’d argue that the determination to play Morgan is an example of this. He might be our third best T (though we gave him little chance to be ready at RT but played him—something we refused to do with Tom early—but he may well not be our best G. Certainly it’s not clear cut. In some ways we seem to avoid finding out too.
This also bleeds into preparation as well. Players end up having to come in on limited reps due both to injury or not having been given reps that week or in that position. This can’t help performance, particularly at a position that plays as a unit (not that we seem too value that).
In hindsight, from outside, McManus hasn’t been the player he was when he got hurt. He’s regularly popped up in the injury report and in LaFleur’s comments as carrying an injury. I doubt we are making that up in breach of league rules. Yet we pick him. Banks and Hobbs haven’t looked like the players I see on film from last year (Hobbs is complicated by a change to outside). Valentine looks like he should have been playing from the outset. He’s really our only true cover corner.
Overall, if true, it’s just bad coaching and player management. Is Gute forcing this on the coaches? It doesn’t look like it given they aren’t his subordinates on paper, it doesn’t look like it from the fact that he’s kept a healthy kicker on the active roster throughout. If he is, that’s a big knock on Gute, but of course none of us know under the current muddy structure. My guess, based upon traits demonstrated over 6 1/2 seasons is that this comes from LaFleur. If so (and Policy will undoubtedly know), it’s just another reason why we underperform
LambeauPlain
November 15, 2025 at 08:38 am
LaFleur is just not adept at personnel management...players and coaches. He seems incredibly timid to make a change. I believe it intimidates him. I expect others around him intimidate him into not make needed changes.
He delegates team control to coordinators, Hafley is performing...and Bisaccia who is not. He makes Stenovich his OC and doesn't trust him to call plays so as a consolation did he turn the entire OL operation to him and Butkus? It seems so.
To be a heavy delegator, you must routinely meet with and evaluate/discuss performance and results with this coaches. Does he? I don't believe so...lots of status quo.
You don't make change for the sake of it...but you can't ignore performance failures let them grow.
dobber
November 15, 2025 at 08:43 am
I'm not going to quibble over the fickleness of the kicking game: find a way to finish drives.
Good teams finish drives--especially in the red zone--and score TDs with consistency.
7s over 3s.
Leatherhead
November 15, 2025 at 09:54 am
You know what I think about special teams in general. We're paying big $$$ to guys like Love and Jacobs and we let the game be decided by the Long Snapper?
We've attempted 21FGs and made 15. All of the misses have been from over 40, where we're 5 made and 6 missed.
People seem to have the expectation that you aren't going to have a bad snap, or a bad hold, or a bad kick, or a blocking breakdown.....EVER, when in fact, they happen all the time.
Given that we're having a hard time scoring, and that all of our FG misses have come from over 40 yards, we probably shouldn't kick long FGs, and we should have a 4 down mentality once we cross midfield. Better to turn it over on downs than miss the FG.
LeotisHarris
November 15, 2025 at 10:48 am
dobber, this isn't the first time you've refused to quibble over the fickleness of the kicking game. I ask you, if we cannot quibble over fickleness here in The Corner, then where? Must our quibbling be undertaken in the darkness, away from prying eyes of differing opinions? I say to you, quibble we must; over fickleness, over fecklessness, over fortitude, over fiduciary responsibility, or we shall fail.
dobber
November 15, 2025 at 06:35 pm
I think I heard the Battle Hymn of the Republic playing in the distance as I read that....
nygary
November 15, 2025 at 09:03 am
Gute is so into have the youngest team every year its crazy. Banks was not the best left guard available in free agency. But hes 26 or 27 and fits the age profile for him. Play the best players and sign the best you can Gute Please. The youngest team doesn't mean shit.
jannesbjornson
November 15, 2025 at 10:27 am
He whiffs on obvious picks as he runs down the order. Ratledge was there in Rd Two. 2023 Tippmann was sitting there and he grabbed Musgrave, a guy with agility issues and a three route tree resume.
Coldworld
November 15, 2025 at 05:48 pm
Belton and Williams were very surprising picks. Belton may turn out to be a beast, but he never looked like an early contributor. Williams is a long term project even less refined than Watson was but without the freakish speed. I’d also argue Golden was more of a project than other WRs than available because we already had our best healthy receiver in the slot.
I do not see Gute as the defining problem, but I did not like this draft in the first 3 rounds. That’s not hating the players on potential, just believing that we could have helped ourselves more now and maybe next year even at those same positions and perhaps more with different ones.
LambeauPlain
November 15, 2025 at 09:18 am
The OL issues, play calling, ST performance, and inopportune, drive killing penalties have the fans grumbling as the national media narrative claims LaFleur is coaching for his life. All this with LaFleur finally having the appearance of a championship defense.
An expectation has been created and it is a tough spot for LaFleur.
A recent assessment: "LaFleur's future with the Packers will likely depend on the team's performance in the upcoming games and how he addresses current challenges."
Short of a deep playoff run, Ed Policy will have deciding to do. If the Defense performs as a top NFL group, would he let Hafley get away? After all, Policy already knows LaFleur well.
NFLfan
November 15, 2025 at 09:40 am
I listened to a 13 minute interview w/Ed Policy trying to get a read on him. His most telling comment was he wanted to pattern his approach after Murphy-"give the GM/HC what they need and get out of the way". Policy is also deeply imbedded in Green Bay's culture-he lives there, his kids went to school there, etc. I think he will not wish to rock-the-boat in order to remain on good terms with the 'players' in Titletown and perhaps some of the Front Office. He came across as uncomfortable on camera, conciliatory and a bit 'beta'.--a good soldier. My guess is he retains Gutekunst, returns Football Ops to him and fires MLF (unless MLF has an excellent run) He does not look like an innovator, bold leader-type.
We have no idea what Hafley feels and my guess is he wouldn't step over MLF to get the GB HC job if he has other options-he will have many, including lucrative college jobs.
Coldworld
November 15, 2025 at 05:56 pm
In football the adage is never turn down a chance to be a head coach. Green Bay, without an owner to meddle, is often claimed to be a uniquely attractive proposition. Certainly better than working for many of the teams likely needing a new HC.
Plus, Hafley knows his core players here and has good ones and they know the D he will continue to run ( directly or indirectly). That makes the transition much easier and quicker. Finally, there’s a lot of young talent on this roster compared to many teams seeking coaches.
Picking the right OC and managing the overall approach is all he would have to do. Yes, I think he’d jump at it if offered. He’d be a fool not to. That’s how Football works.
dobber
November 15, 2025 at 06:38 pm
Well stated.
SicSemperTyrannis
November 16, 2025 at 07:10 am
If Policy stays meek but restores GM to an actual GM and replaces MLF - that's not exactly laying low.
NFLfan
November 15, 2025 at 09:29 am
I would ask why some of the best players are not always on the field-Valentine and E. Williams are very recent examples. Perhaps GB should have addressed Jenkin's struggles earlier?-should Banks be playing as much as he is?
Leatherhead
November 15, 2025 at 10:52 am
Williams is on the field for over 90% of the defensive snaps, and Valentine has taken the second most snaps at CB, behind Nixon. He's our defacto #2.
NFLfan
November 15, 2025 at 11:05 am
Well, I am getting this info from Andy Herman and I happen to agree-what are your takes on the very recent Hobbs overly-lengthy experiment? Valentine was off the field while that 'experience' was happening.
Williams was alternating for several games.
Coldworld
November 15, 2025 at 06:03 pm
Herman doesn’t say that. He and others were saying that, but then it changed. Valentine is starting and Hobbs since went to IR, but not before that. Valentine has 344 snaps to Hobbs’ 290, just to give some emphasis. In my opinion we never saw Hobbs healthy, we haven’t with Banks and it parallels the McManus experience. It took to long to face it perhaps, but Hafley may have delayed a game or two. Stenavich is still messing with Banks and Bissacia with McManus.
vagem55
November 15, 2025 at 10:38 am
Two words: Anders Carlson.
dobber
November 15, 2025 at 06:40 pm
Sounds like a Swedish beer.
NFLfan
November 15, 2025 at 12:29 pm
There are 3 very vocal posters who will have the fans believe that the only problem be-deviling the Packers is the evil MLF followed by Jordan Love.
I used to be an active participant in one of the Prince (musician) forums and it was 'infiltrated' by what is known in the PR industry as 'cleaners'. These types are hired by celebrites, teams, etc to steer the narrative and tackle posters whom they deem a threat. We have about 3 on this site right about now. They give-off tell-tale signs and if you have experienced them before, they are fairly easy to recognize.Their current 'narrative' is MLF is 100% responsible for ALL of Green Bay's ills. Jordan Love is their target #2. They are actively trying to isolate MLF by relentless criticisms while they protect Gutekunst. Please note that when Gutekunst is critiqued, they rush in with lengthy, term papers about how MLF is somehow responsible.
MLF deserves criticism but he is NOT responsible for all of GB's ills. I don't like the bullying, under-mining behavior by these 3.
Notice that when Gutekunst is mentioned, all 3 of them swoop in to 'remind' us that he is completely guilt-free and MLF is the only villain.
I have reported these concerns to Aaron Nagler several days ago-I have not received a response.
I used to deeply respect one of these posters and am chagrined he decided to play this unfortunate game.
13TimeChamps
November 15, 2025 at 02:18 pm
You remind me of a certain, current Jewish Space Laser, QAnon loving Congresswoman from Georgia. Not everything is part of a conspiracy. Relax, and try to actually enjoy watching the game, as opposed to being obsessed with unearthing what's "really going on" at 1265.
I wouldn't hold my breath waiting on Nagler's response to your "concerns".
NFLfan
November 15, 2025 at 02:40 pm
I don't expect you to grasp what is going on over there. It may be over your head.
13TimeChamps
November 15, 2025 at 02:53 pm
I'm sure it's all very convoluted and nefarious. Thankfully, we have you to explain it to the rest of us. By all means, carry on!
NFLfan
November 15, 2025 at 03:09 pm
No, it just requires the ability to read people and their motivations. Pretty easy,
Alberta_Packer
November 15, 2025 at 01:21 pm
So if the Packers are going to play their best players - then Malik Willis should have seen more of the field by now. Especially as the Packers have - time after time - shot blanks in the first half (and times thereafter). Just as a reminder - Willis was a Packers multi-game winner last year.
In the NHL - if the team's no.1 goalie is haven't a good game - he is often pulled for the no.2 goalie. Occasionally the no.1 will return after a recess. In short, the Coach is just trying to re-set the game and stop or reverse the negative play flow.
One of my main complaints with LaFleur is his inflexibility. He is often slow to adjust - or - just doesn't adjust at all - during the course of a game. It seems that LaFleur either can't or won't think outside of the box. Not a good trait in a thinking man's game.
NFLfan
November 15, 2025 at 01:28 pm
Yes. MLF is not good at 'outside-the-box thinking' but that has been going on for 6 years-where was his supervisor? No one held him accountable-that is on Management-whoever that was-the Football committee? Problems with GB are much deeper than MLF.
Didn't Murphy hire him while lunching somewhere? Where was the due diligence?
Alberta_Packer
November 15, 2025 at 01:36 pm
My guess is that Murphy shielded him during those years. One of the reasons why I shed no tears when he was sent out to pasture.
NFLfan
November 15, 2025 at 02:05 pm
.
NFLfan
November 15, 2025 at 02:08 pm
I like you and will put my sword down, but I will say I don't think it was altruism on Murphy's part.
Alberta_Packer
November 15, 2025 at 02:18 pm
Agree - not altruism. More egoism - as Murphy seemed to be the one who pushed for LaFleur's hiring. So "his guy".
PS - I appreciate the disarmament
NFLfan
November 15, 2025 at 02:43 pm
you are always operating at a high level.
Coldworld
November 15, 2025 at 06:08 pm
Generally I’d disagree with that, but I do admit that, in the second half last week, when nothing was working, a drive or two doing what we did with Willis last year might have shaken things up. We could also have thrown in a couple of gadget plays that use his speed and running ability as at least a threat as well. We’ve used Williams that way and he’s slower and has nowhere near the arm or accuracy. If it’s not working, shake it up. We don’t, and that’s part of our problem.
vagem55
November 15, 2025 at 05:04 pm
Looks like you're going to get your wish. McManus is doubtful.
Coldworld
November 15, 2025 at 06:09 pm
And Heath appears to have got himself in the dog house. Coaches decision not to travel.
dobber
November 15, 2025 at 06:46 pm
"IN EDIT:
McManus was a full participant all week, no managed practice reps.
Let's see what he does."
Yeah, my comment above didn't age well...
Coldworld
November 16, 2025 at 07:32 am
Well, you were right. Unfortunately what we saw was that he wasn’t right yet.
The forecast is for a very gusty day, up to 45 mph at times. That’s probably the worst scenario for any kicker. If that proves true, kicking is likely going to be avoided as much as possible anyway and something of a lottery. It may also restrict the deep passing game.