The Rams are turning to experience as they sort through their kicker situation ahead of Week 7.
With Blake Grupe on injured reserve, Los Angeles is set to work out two veterans: Brandon McManus and Matt Prater, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. Sean McVay’s team, now 2-4 after the loss of Davante Adams, is looking for a replacement who can give the coach the same confidence he had in Grupe before the injury.
“The Rams are working out veteran kickers Brandon McManus and Matt Prater tomorrow, sources say. Over three decades of NFL experience combined between the two as Sean McVay & Co. look for a replacement for the injured Blake Grupe.”
Prater is 42 and most recently kicked for the Buffalo Bills in 2025, going 18 of 20 with a long of 52 yards. McManus is 34 and last played for the Green Bay Packers in 2025, where he was perfect on 10 attempts and connected from 56 yards out.
Both bring resumes that suggest they can still handle the job, and that matters for a Rams team trying to steady itself. The offense has already taken heat after a rough showing that drew criticism from Dan Orlovsky, and Los Angeles is coming off a startling Week 6 loss to the Cardinals that put McVay and Matthew Stafford in the spotlight.
Now the Rams head to Las Vegas for Week 7, where they’ll face Klint Kubiak’s Raiders. For a team looking for any edge, the kicker competition could be one of the more important decisions of the week.
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