Brandon McManus

[milani]

I have been told by a moderator to remove Trump's name from my previous post. Since even though the act happened in 1995, pre any political activity by Trump, the moderator feels it is inappropriate. So I did as asked, it is now crossed out.

Sorry if my stating a proven fact, offended anyone.

Thank you. We could all make inferences about political figures especially humorous ones. In fact I could make some about the ancient ones because of my age and few would even know much about who it is. A lot if not all the team boards through NFL.Com that I enjoyed were abruptly shut down for good at the end of 2021 including the Packer one. And the main reason was because politics became an emerging topic literally substituting itself for the subject at hand which was NFL football. I asked several posters to please refrain from political jargon and stick to football. I received support by management. There are plenty of OTHER boards for that. Even COVID became a forceful topic especially when the Rodgers story broke.

 

[Sanguine camper]

I was hoping they would show a better angle of the kick and how far over the cross bar it ended up being. He smacked that one and like most of his kicks, right down the center.

I honestly have more confidence in McManus right now, than I did in Crosby in his final years as a Packer. I will say it again, GREAT move on Gute's part to grab McManus. Besides Jacobs and McKinney, it was the FA signing of the year for the Packers and one that pretty much goes unnoticed.

It was a great signing so far. Trading for Willis looks rather shrewd as well. Gute has had a great year getting players outside of the draft.

 

[OldSchool101]

It was a great signing so far. Trading for Willis looks rather shrewd as well. Gute has had a great year getting players outside of the draft.

There’s a realistic chance we could trade him for a Top 64 selection
Or
keep him another season and net a top 100 to 150 comp selection if he starts somewhere.

 

[tynimiller]

There’s a realistic chance we could trade him for a Top 64 selection
Or
keep him another season and net a top 100 to 150 comp selection if he starts somewhere.

I don’t see you getting a second for him personally unless you’re sending a fourth back. Conditionally also could but that would mean 2026 draft not 2025.

Realistically I suspect a third or a collection of fourth/fifths type is his value with conditionally rising.

 

[OldSchool101]

I don’t see you getting a second for him personally unless you’re sending a fourth back. Conditionally also could but that would mean 2026 draft not 2025.

Realistically I suspect a third or a collection of fourth/fifths type is his value with conditionally rising.

Personally I’d hold him 1 more season and grab a compensatory selection in the future. If he starts in any capacity his salary and snap count will weigh in. At QB he’ll get paid and if he gets paid he likely plays s significant number of snaps. I suspect he’d garner a 4th Comp with outside chance at a 3rd or 5th.
So in entirety. You trade a 7th. You get 2 years cheap QB2 $. Then you get a Top 140 Selection (4th comp) in change. Pretty good deal there.

Also the benefit now of being able to wait at QB or take a stab at later Day 3 QB or even a UDFA who just needs some developing. That overlap coming in 2025 while Malik is still here.

 

[weeds]

Thank you. We could all make inferences about political figures especially humorous ones. In fact I could make some about the ancient ones because of my age and few would even know much about who it is. A lot if not all the team boards through NFL.Com that I enjoyed were abruptly shut down for good at the end of 2021 including the Packer one. And the main reason was because politics became an emerging topic literally substituting itself for the subject at hand which was NFL football. I asked several posters to please refrain from political jargon and stick to football. I received support by management. There are plenty of OTHER boards for that. Even COVID became a forceful topic especially when the Rodgers story broke.

I watched a really good board go down when the owner chose to add a politics sub-forum after 9-11 - and I was fortunate enough to be named the sole moderator of THAT cesspool because of my educational background and practical experience within State party politics. I told the owner it was a mistake - 'lo and behold, it took 9 months for a high traffic, quality Packer site to turn into a veritable waste land.

...and I vowed to NEVER AGAIN even consider moderating ANYTHING internet related again. It's roughly the same as hitting yourself on the head repeatedly with a 2 X 4 because it feels soooooo good when you STOP hitting yourself on the head repeatedly with a 2 X 4.

OH...and McManus's status follows the same 2X4 principle -- for the love of all that is holy -- sign the guy now. Come on Gute ... where kickers are concerned, duck when the "stupid" stick is being swung.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

I don’t see you getting a second for him personally unless you’re sending a fourth back. Conditionally also could but that would mean 2026 draft not 2025.

Realistically I suspect a third or a collection of fourth/fifths type is his value with conditionally rising.

Which is exactly why you don't trade Malik Willis. While we don't know Gute's 2026 Free Agency signing plan, if they hold on to Willis for one more season and he walks in Free Agency, he should either bring the Packers a comp pick in 2027 or at least be an offset of a FA signing of their own.

Bottom line for me, Malik's value to the team as a backup is much higher than picks beyond round 2.

 

[Poppa San]

It was a great signing so far. Trading for Willis looks rather shrewd as well. Gute has had a great year getting players outside of the draft.

I'm sure the fans in Tennessee want to string up their coach for relegating him to #4 on the depth chart, making him a prime trade candidate for the 7th round pick they thought they snookered Gute out of.

 

[Sanguine camper]

Whether Willis eventually walks and the Packers get a comp pick ot he gets traded outright, he's going to bring much better than a measly 7th round pick. I would think he's not going to be a long term answer as the backup QB because he's shown enough that he'll want to compete for a starting job somewhere else. If I were Willis, I'd want to compete for a starting role.

 

[OldSchool101]

I don’t see you getting a second for him personally unless you’re sending a fourth back. Conditionally also could but that would mean 2026 draft not 2025.

Realistically I suspect a third or a collection of fourth/fifths type is his value with conditionally rising.

Hey in a hypothetical I’d be ok with it. I still think Malik will net us a future 4th Comp pick and we get him 1 more full season. I like that idea the best.

 

[OldSchool101]

Whether Willis eventually walks and the Packers get a comp pick ot he gets traded outright, he's going to bring much better than a measly 7th round pick. I would think he's not going to be a long term answer as the backup QB because he's shown enough that he'll want to compete for a starting job somewhere else. If I were Willis, I'd want to compete for a starting role.

The more I ponder it I just value knowing we have a very good backup QB. The only thing I could see of value more than a future mid rounder comp pick is a player trade.
E.G. If GB found a team who would trade a starting caliber CB or higher caliber DL who also had at least 1-2 seasons of Rookie contract and had some substantial upside? I’d he ears.
That would help us next season and could change our draft strategy.
If we got the next version of Rasul next year, but still on a Rookie deal it could help us immediately.

McNamath is amazing. I still think he could win a playoff game for us coming up. Whoever we play we’ll play tight. Having a top 10 Kicker that rises up in postseason is huge

 

[pacmaniac]

I'm sure the fans in Tennessee want to string up their coach for relegating him to #4 on the depth chart, making him a prime trade candidate for the 7th round pick they thought they snookered Gute out of.

The fans agreed with their coach. I remember the Titans forum was pretty funny before and after the Week 3 game. Before the game, they all said there was absolutely no way the Titans would lose since Willis was starting for us. After the game they blasted the Titans for failing to harness Willis's talent.

 

[milani]

Whether Willis eventually walks and the Packers get a comp pick ot he gets traded outright, he's going to bring much better than a measly 7th round pick. I would think he's not going to be a long term answer as the backup QB because he's shown enough that he'll want to compete for a starting job somewhere else. If I were Willis, I'd want to compete for a starting role.

Someone should give him a shot.

 

[Voyageur]

Two signings that have to come for stabilizing the team depth. Willis and McManus. Also, make sure Whelan is guaranteed to be around for an extended period of time. Getting this done also creates some solid trade opportunities using Willis down the road, if there's a specific need, and you have a solid enough #3 QB in-house, so you can capitalize on the Willis investment.

There's nothing more disheartening to players, coaches, front offices, and fans, than watching a franchise QB go down with an injury, and having a worthless back up warming up, getting ready to go into the game. Teams need to be prepared to face these problems, not abandon ship because of this one injury. The run by Malik is why the Packers are in the position they are today, instead of fighting from the outside to get into the playoffs.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Two signings that have to come for stabilizing the team depth. Willis and McManus.

While I would love to see both players in Green Bay for a long time, I doubt we are able to resign Willis. That is, unless the Packers want to pony up at least $10M+/year for him. I think he has proven his value this season, if and when he hits Free Agency, there is going to be a team out there that see's him as a Starter. Whether it is a long term starter or one to bring a rookie QB along, I won't be surprised to see a desperate team throw $25M his way.

Now I hope this doesn't happen, but if the Packers for some reason get to the trade deadline in 2025 with only 1 or 2 wins, then you trade Willis to QB needy team. Otherwise, probably the best path for the Packers is to keep him for another season (on his rookie deal) and then when he signs with another team in 2026, get a comp pick or an offset for a free agent that the Packers sign.

Willis is a much more talented QB than the Titans knew that they had. Future Hall of Famer? I doubt it, but he's young, so you never know.

If Gute wanted to really roll some big dice and Kahones, he trades Love and his big contract for a bountiful slew of top draft pics and keeps Malik as his starter. I am not saying I would want to see that happen, but hey, if the Packers REALLY like Willis, stranger things have happened.

 

[Voyageur]

While I would love to see both players in Green Bay for a long time, I doubt we are able to resign Willis. That is, unless the Packers want to pony up at least $10M+/year for him. I think he has proven his value this season, if and when he hits Free Agency, there is going to be a team out there that see's him as a Starter. Whether it is a long term starter or one to bring a rookie QB along, I won't be surprised to see a desperate team throw $25M his way.

Now I hope this doesn't happen, but if the Packers for some reason get to the trade deadline in 2025 with only 1 or 2 wins, then you trade Willis to QB needy team. Otherwise, probably the best path for the Packers is to keep him for another season (on his rookie deal) and then when he signs with another team in 2026, get a comp pick or an offset for a free agent that the Packers sign.

Willis is a much more talented QB than the Titans knew that they had. Future Hall of Famer? I doubt it, but he's young, so you never know.

If Gute wanted to really roll some big dice and Kahones, he trades Love and his big contract for a bountiful slew of top draft pics and keeps Malik as his starter. I am not saying I would want to see that happen, but hey, if the Packers REALLY like Willis, stranger things have happened.

Willis is signed through 2025, so the Packers still have some room to work a deal with him. I hope they don't go into next year without an extension. He's way too valuable to look at losing via free agency before 2026. Strangely enough, the Titans might be one of the teams looking to grab him. I think they realize the Levis decision was a bad one.

 

[OldSchool101]

Willis is signed through 2025, so the Packers still have some room to work a deal with him. I hope they don't go into next year without an extension. He's way too valuable to look at losing via free agency before 2026. Strangely enough, the Titans might be one of the teams looking to grab him. I think they realize the Levis decision was a bad one.

Again. If it’s true that someone gives Willis a shot at $10M+ then we should just wait on that 3rd-4th compensatory selection. We still get him on cheap $$ in 2025 and that alone could change our draft strategy. Take a later Day3 QB to develop OR sign a decent veteran in that ~$5M area +- and
use the draft picks on other areas.

I just like knowing if our QB goes out we have a 55% of winning ball games.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Again. If it’s true that someone gives Willis a shot at $10M+ then we should just wait on that 3rd-4th compensatory selection. We still get him on cheap $$ in 2025 and that alone could change our draft strategy. Take a later Day3 QB to develop OR sign a decent veteran in that ~$5M area +- and
use the draft picks on other areas.

I just like knowing if our QB goes out we have a 55% of winning ball games.

I agree, I don't think Willis stays in GB for low backup money. He and his agent will know ahead of time just what his value is. Gute will have a very tough decision for sure. Have a team that has a legit shot at a SB and give up a quality backup QB to save some money? Or spend the money and possibly not have enough to sign a quality starter at another position?

 

[OldSchool101]

I agree, I don't think Willis stays in GB for low backup money. He and his agent will know ahead of time just what his value is. Gute will have a very tough decision for sure. Have a team that has a legit shot at a SB and give up a quality backup QB to save some money? Or spend the money and possibly not have enough to sign a quality starter at another position?

Yep. I think Willis will walk in FA for anything under that Love 2X$22mil type $$. At some point someone is going to offer him $10M+ to compete at Starter. I’d be shocked if he didn’t want his chance to shine. He deserves it

McNamath deserves $5M+ yearly at this point. Unless he just flops he’s going to get lucrative K $$

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Yep. I think Willis will walk in FA for anything under that Love 2X$22mil type $$. At some point someone is going to offer him $10M+ to compete at Starter. I’d be shocked if he didn’t want his chance to shine. He deserves it

McNamath deserves $5M+ yearly at this point. Unless he just flops he’s going to get lucrative K $$

I would rather spend a few million extra on my kicker and have a guy like McManus, than be back to where the Packers were at the beginning of the season.

I would love to know just how many games kickers win or lose each season. That isn't your team losing by 1-3 points and your kicker missed a kick in the 2nd Q. Same as a QB missing a wide open receiver in the EZ in the first half. Last play of the game, Kicker misses/makes winning FG or XP?

 

[tynimiller]

I’m firmly in the camp of a third for 2025 is worth a TON more than a comp pick in 2027. If we keep him on roster in 2025 the earliest comp pick you get back is 2027.

I will understand anything they decide on Willis but there is also still the reality of him failing to even look serviceable in Tennessee…

 

[pacmaniac]

Strangely enough, the Titans might be one of the teams looking to grab him. I think they realize the Levis decision was a bad one.

If he goes back to the Titans, I wouldn't be shocked if he struggles again. Might be something wrong with their system. Then the Packers can trade another 7th round pick to get him back.

 

[OldSchool101]

I’m firmly in the camp of a third for 2025 is worth a TON more than a comp pick in 2027. If we keep him on roster in 2025 the earliest comp pick you get back is 2027.

I will understand anything they decide on Willis but there is also still the reality of him failing to even look serviceable in Tennessee…

That all sounds wonderful. Right up until Malik becomes our Starter and it’s 10 minutes remaining in the 4th Quarter of a Divisional game and we are up 21-17 and a long 6-7 minute TD drive puts them away.
Then that futuristic Tyron Hopper selection doesn’t sound so good!
Watch him become a HOF player now!

For me, it makes perfect sense in a Rebuild, my opinion would change rapidly. I’d be promoting draft picks and having a fire sale. Here we are coming off what’s likely a 12+ Win season. One which we might not have even qualified for with 10 Wins had Malik not so eloquently come in and surprised.

 

[Voyageur]

I’m firmly in the camp of a third for 2025 is worth a TON more than a comp pick in 2027. If we keep him on roster in 2025 the earliest comp pick you get back is 2027.

I will understand anything they decide on Willis but there is also still the reality of him failing to even look serviceable in Tennessee…

Here's a list of 8 QBs coming out in 2025. I'm not ranking them in the order shown, just identifying who the top 8 would probably be.

Carson Beck, Georgia, Cam Ward, Miami, Shadeur Sanders, Colorado, Jalen Milroe, Alabama, Drew Allar, Penn State, Quinn Ewers, Texas, Jaxon Dart, Ole Miss, and Conner Weigman, Texas A&M.

Not one of them strikes fear in my heart as a defensive coordinator. Start with Beck, Milroe, Ewers, Weigman, and Dart. Five QBs out of the SEC. Five QBs who played for teams in a conference where defense is an afterthought. A conference where you can lose half your games if you score 40 points. Cam Ward comes out of Miami with one good year under center for them. By the way, he was brought in after Tyler Van **** entered the portal, not before. As far as stats, Van **** had an excellent year in 2023 with Miami. In fact, he became their de factor QB1 before the season started and they turned the corner ending the season 7-6. Tyler was actually in the top 15 QBs in the nation, and ran away with #1 in the ACC. Ward inherited that offensive team that was built to win. Tyler would have done just as well, and who knows? Maybe better than Ward. Sanders is a head case just like his Daddy. They're making a list of teams he "won't play for." I guess since Eli Manning got away with it, he thinks he should too. At least his Daddy seems to see it that way. I wouldn't touch him with a 10 ft. pole. His Daddy will have his mouth all over his face within weeks if the kid doesn't get treated like royalty. He reminds me of a cross between Jameis Winston, and Justin Fields. But, as I said, that's just my opinion.

Last but not least on this list is Drew Allar, Penn State. In my opinion, he played in the conference where QBs get punished more than any other. Defense is still important in the Big 10. Allard fought through it, and showed he can play with the best of them. Don't let his lesser stats guide you. When it comes to talent, this kid might be a little bit like Tom Brady was, coming out of Michigan. Not the gaudiest stats, but a student of the game, who can become one of the best, if given some time to learn the game by watching it play out.

Because of this conundrum with the QBs for this upcoming draft, I think the Packers could get a darned good price for Willis. I'm not certain how many of these guys I've listed will even get to a point where they're as good as Willis is.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

That all sounds wonderful. Right up until Malik becomes our Starter and it’s 10 minutes remaining in the 4th Quarter of a Divisional game and we are up 21-17 and a long 6-7 minute TD drive puts them away.
Then that futuristic Tyron Hopper selection doesn’t sound so good!
Watch him become a HOF player now!

For me, it makes perfect sense in a Rebuild, my opinion would change rapidly. I’d be promoting draft picks and having a fire sale. Here we are coming off what’s likely a 12+ Win season. One which we might not have even qualified for with 10 Wins had Malik not so eloquently come in and surprised.

1000% agree. I said it earlier in the season, nothing but a first rounder or early 2nd rounder makes me part with Malik Willis in 2025. Cheap contract, ton of experience and a proven track record as a guy that can come in as the starter or off the bench and play well. It really is hard to put a price tag on a quality backup like Willis, but a 3rd rounder or later? No Thanks. This will be a solid roster in 2025, one that should be in contention, that is unless Love gets injured and all they got is a rookie or Sean Clifford to fill in.

Now there is always the chance that Malik and his agent demand more money or a trade and threaten to sit out the 2025 season unless that happens. I just don't think that happens with a backup QB or a guy like Malik, but stranger things have happened.

Let's not get greedy. Willis cost us a 7th rounder pick and a rookie salary, don't get greedy and cash out proven insurance, for the hope of a 3rd rounder helping the team.