Rams boot Brett Maher in favor of new kicker

Jul 26, 2018; Oxnard, CA, USA; Dallas Cowboys kicker Brett Maher (2) during training camp at River Ridge Fields. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The Brett Maher era in Los Angeles is officially over.

The L.A. Rams announced on Tuesday that they have decided to release the veteran kicker Maher. Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that the team now plans to sign former Indianapolis Colts kicker Lucas Havrisik off the Cleveland Browns’ practice squad.

Maher, 33, signed with the Rams in the offseason and won their starting kicker job in short order. He had a respectable first several weeks of the season but had a nightmare Week 7 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, missing three of his four kicks on the day (two field goal attempts and his lone extra point). Maher finishes his Rams tenure having gone 12-for-13 (92.3 percent) on extra points but 17-for-23 (73.9 percent) on field goals. That includes a brutal mark of 3-for-7 (42.9 percent) on field goals of 50 yards or more.

Havrisik, 24, has never appeared in an NFL game but had a lengthy career as the starting kicker for the University of Arizona. As for Maher, there will be some obvious skepticism with him moving forward, especially after his notorious struggles with the Dallas Cowboys preceding this.