- The Rams signed kicker Brandon McManus on Tuesday, but the move landed as more than a simple special-teams fix.
- It came in the same transaction wave that sent nose tackle Poona Ford to injured reserve and left Davante Adams sidelined for 6-10 weeks, another reminder that Los Angeles is trying to patch together a roster that keeps losing pieces.
- That is the backdrop for a team that is already 2-4 and coming off an 18-16 loss to the Arizona Cardinals.
- The Rams’ playoff hopes have fallen from 90.1% to 26.0% since the start of the season, and their Super Bowl odds have dropped from 16.3% to 1.5%.
- Ford’s injury is season-ending after a ruptured triceps, and Adams is expected to miss 6-10 weeks with a ruptured semitendinosus.
- The Rams enter this stretch with the worst field goal percentage in the NFL at 60%, so McManus is stepping into a job that has already been a weak point, not a clean slate.
- Tuesday’s moves show a team dealing with availability issues across the roster, from kicker to defensive front to receiver, while trying to keep a disappointing season from slipping further away.
Rams’ kicker move is only the start of a much bigger roster problem
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Sources & Referenced Reporting
- https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7708305/2026/10/20/rams-sign-kicker-brandon-mcmanus/
- Los Angeles Rams, “Rams sign kicker Brandon McManus, place Poona Ford and Davante Adams on Injured Reserve,” Oct. 20, 2026.
- CBS Sports, “Are the Rams cooked? A look at why Sean McVay's team is so disappointing, and if they can bounce back,” Oct. 20, 2026.
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