Just two days after Brett Maher missed two field goals and an extra point in a 24-17 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Los Angeles Rams opted to part ways with the veteran kicker - and turned to second-year pro Lucas Havrisik.
Undrafted out of Arizona in 2022, Havrisik has spent much of the past two seasons on practice squads, last year with the Indianapolis Colts and this year with the Cleveland Browns.
The 24-year-old Havrisik has never appeared in an NFL regular season game, while Maher entered Week 8 tied for the league lead with 17 made field goals.
But Rams coach Sean McVay remains confident he made the right decision, in large part due to conversations with special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn and assistant special teams coach Jeremy Springer.
“He's done a good job," McVay said of Havrisik. "He did a nice job (Thursday). A lot of the things that we talked about that Chase and ‘Spring’ liked kind of came to life and it was good to be able to see him perform the way that he did. He'll be ready to go.”
McVay confirmed Friday that Havrisik, who was signed off the Browns' practice squad as a corresponding move to Maher's release, will be the kicker amidst a barrage of workouts Wednesday, including former Green Bay Packers staple Mason Crosby.
Across five years at Arizona, Havrisik made 34 of 53 field goal attempts (62.4 percent) and 73 of 78 extra point tries (93.6 percent). He connected on a program-record 57-yard field goal as a true freshman in 2017 and tied his own mark again as a redshirt senior in 2021.
This past preseason, Havrisik went two-for-two on field goals, both over 40 yards, while making three of four extra points for the Colts.
Havrisik, who earned honorable mention All-Pac-12 honors in each of his final seasons with the Wildcats, has a big leg - and McVay has confidence he can be a solution for Los Angeles' special teams unit.
“I do," McVay said. "Absolutely, yes.”
Havrisik's first chance at professional action will come Sunday, when the Rams hit the road for a matchup with the Dallas Cowboys. Kickoff is set for 10 a.m. PST inside AT&T Stadium.
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