Rams Release Kicker Harrison Mevis After Overtime Loss to Bills

Following a 37-34 overtime loss to the Buffalo Bills, the Los Angeles Rams released kicker Harrison Mevis and signed Blake Grupe off the New York Jets practice squad.

The Los Angeles Rams made significant personnel changes following a 37-34 overtime loss to the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football. Head coach Sean McVay announced Tuesday that the organization released kicker Harrison Mevis and signed Blake Grupe off the New York Jets practice squad.

Harrison Mevis Released After Two Missed Field Goals Against Buffalo

Mevis struggled during the Monday night defeat at SoFi Stadium, converting neither of his field goal attempts. He missed a 50-yard kick wide left in the first quarter and had a potential 48-yard game-winning attempt blocked by Buffalo edge rusher Greg Rousseau in overtime. Mevis spoke to reporters in the locker room after the game, stating that he felt he hit the potential game-winning kick well despite the block. The 24-year-old kicker had nicknames circulating online and faced outside media attention during his time with the team, but head coach Sean McVay pointed strictly to the need for better production on the field. The loss dropped the Rams to a 2-3 record on the season.

The misses dropped Mevis to 5-for-9 on field goal attempts for the season, representing a 55.6% success rate across his first five games. Teammates including long snapper Joe Cardona and running back Kyren Williams voiced their support for Mevis in the locker room prior to his release, with Williams noting that the team does not change its stance on players because of a single bad performance.

Appreciate his contributions. I thought he was a rock for us last year when we obviously struggled in that area. But ultimately we need better production, and that’s what we’re hoping to get out of from Blake.

Sean McVay, Head Coach, Rams

Blake Grupe Arrives With NFL Experience From New Orleans and Indianapolis

To fill the opening, the Rams signed Blake Grupe, who entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2023 with the New Orleans Saints before joining the Indianapolis Colts late last season. Grupe went 11-for-11 on field goals and 10-for-10 on extra points during his five-game stint in Indianapolis, making five of those 11 field goals from 40 yards or beyond.

The Rams considered holding an open kicking competition similar to the approach they used last year when Mevis competed against Joshua Karty, but ultimately decided against it. McVay noted that Grupe’s professional background, real game experience, and recent momentum in Indianapolis influenced the decision to make an immediate switch.

We felt like he was the best guy available that had real game experience. What we felt like was the best thing was to just be able to give him an opportunity to come in here and do his thing.

Sean McVay, Head Coach, Rams

He is 19-for-27 on attempts from 50 yards or beyond across his career.

Sean McVay Addresses Special Teams Operation and Retains Bubba Ventrone

The kicking change followed broader evaluation of the special teams unit, which McVay criticized immediately after the game before clarifying his remarks on Tuesday.

Ventrone was hired in January after the Rams fired Chase Blackburn following special teams blunders in a previous overtime loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

I have a lot of confidence in Bubba Ventrone. There’s no changes that are going to be made there. We’re gonna keep working. This isn’t the first time that we’ve had adversity and the first time that we’ve had some different things that I have to do a better job of.

Sean McVay, Head Coach, Rams

Alaric Jackson Receives Two-Game NFL Suspension

McVay stated that Jackson plans to appeal the suspension. If the penalty is upheld and he cannot play against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday or the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 7, David Quessenberry will step into the starting left tackle role. The Rams also expect to open Keagen Trost’s return-to-practice window during the week.

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