Rams Release Harrison Mevis and Sign Kicker Blake Grupe

The Los Angeles Rams released kicker Harrison Mevis on October 14, 2026, following a 37-34 overtime loss to the Buffalo Bills where he missed two field-goal attempts, according to an Associated Press source cited by Audacy. Los Angeles signed former New Orleans Saints kicker Blake Grupe off the New York Jets practice squad to replace him, NFL.com reported.

The Missed Kicks Against Buffalo

Mevis missed a 50-yard field-goal attempt during the opening drive of the game against Buffalo, which allowed the Bills to maintain a 3-0 lead, according to the main source material. NBC Sports reported that Mevis also missed field goals against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 4 and the New York Giants in Week 2. In overtime against Buffalo, Buffalo’s Gregory Rousseau blocked Mevis’s 48-yard game-winning field-goal try. While the ball’s trajectory appeared low and to the left, the block was as much a result of Los Angeles linemen letting Rousseau surge through as it was on the kicker, according to the primary account.

Contrasting Records of Mevis and Grupe

Mevis struggled during the 2026 season with a 5-for-9 record on field goals through five games, giving him the most missed field goals in the NFL, according to Audacy. This marked a sharp decline from his 2025 campaign, when he made 12 of 13 field-goal attempts and went a perfect 39 for 39 on extra points, plus 6 for 6 in the playoffs. His replacement, Grupe, is a four-year NFL veteran who spent his first two-and-a-half seasons with the New Orleans Saints before being released in November 2025 after missing several field goals, as noted by NBC Sports and Audacy. Grupe subsequently signed with the Indianapolis Colts, where he finished the 2025 season by making all 11 of his field-goal attempts and 10 extra points, though he later lost a training camp competition to Spencer Shrader.

Special Teams Instability for Los Angeles

Head coach Sean McVay stated after the Monday night game that the Rams’ placekicking unit cost them the victory, according to Audacy. The Rams have experienced persistent struggles and frequent turnover at kicker and special teams coordinator positions since the departure of Matt Gay following their Super Bowl-winning 2021 season, with Grupe arriving as the fifth kicker in four years. NBC Sports noted that if the 2-3 Rams intend to turn their season into a legitimate postseason contender, the field goal operation must achieve consistent success.

Roster Integration and Upcoming Schedule

Grupe joins the active roster directly from the Jets practice squad, where he had been stationed since being claimed off waivers following August roster cuts, according to the primary source. Over his three-year career spanning stints with the Saints and Colts, Grupe holds an 81.9 field-goal percentage and a 98.0% accuracy rate on extra points. McVay vowed to conduct a thorough review of all special teams operations following the Monday night defeat, leaving the immediate responsibility of stabilizing the kicking unit to Grupe as preparations begin for the remainder of the 2026 schedule.