The Los Angeles Rams have made a significant change to their special teams unit by releasing kicker Harrison Mevis and signing Blake Grupe from the New York Jets' practice squad. This decision follows the Rams' 37-34 overtime loss to the Buffalo Bills on Monday night, where Mevis missed a 50-yard field goal in regulation and had a 48-yard attempt blocked in overtime. Head coach Sean McVay expressed his dissatisfaction with the kicking performance, stating, "The kicking game, especially with our PAT, field goal, not even close to good enough. It cost us the game tonight."
Mevis, 24, struggled throughout the season, converting only five of nine field-goal attempts over five games. In contrast, Grupe, 27, has demonstrated reliability in his NFL career. After an inconsistent stint with the New Orleans Saints, where he missed eight field goals in his first 12 games of the 2025 season, Grupe rebounded with the Indianapolis Colts. He made all 11 field-goal attempts and all 10 extra points in five games, including a franchise-record 60-yard field goal against the Seattle Seahawks.
Grupe's journey to the NFL began at Arkansas State, where he earned first-team All-Sun Belt honors in 2019, before transferring to Notre Dame for his final collegiate season. Despite his smaller stature at 5-foot-7 and 156 pounds, Grupe has proven his capability at the professional level. The Rams are hopeful that his addition will bring stability to their special teams as they aim to improve their 2-3 record.
Grupe is expected to make his debut with the Rams in their upcoming game against the Arizona Cardinals. Fans and analysts will be watching closely to see if this change can positively impact the team's performance in critical game situations.