With No Preseason Games, New York Jets Kicking Battle Kicks On...
In a normal training camp, a kicking battle is often determined in preseason games. With no preseason games this year, both Sam Ficken and Brett Maher have to impress in practice to make the New York Jets roster.
“Sam and Brett are doing a very nice job,” special teams coordinator Brant Boyer said on a virtual press conference. “I see this coming down to the end here. I think they both have been very productive, both have pretty solid percentages thus far. They both have more than adequate legs.”
Ficken is the incumbent in this position battle. The Jets’ placekicker in 2019 connected on 19 of 27 field goal attempts for 70.4 percent. He hit on 23 of 26 extra points through 15 games for an 88.5 percentage.
“I think that Sam did a solid job last year,” Boyer told reporters.
Maher has taken a different path back to the Jets. He was signed by the Jets in 2013 as an undrafted free agent. He was waived during training camp that July when the Jets went with Billy Cundiff as their placekicker.
Since then, Maher has had two stints with the Dallas Cowboys and one with the Cleveland Browns. He also had four stints in the CFL.
Boyer was asked to size up the competition between the kickers with no preseason games to evaluate.
“I think that Sam did a solid job last year, and Brett definitely has experience and everything like that,” Boyer said. “I see these guys neck and neck. They’ve both had good camps and we’ll see who shakes out, and that’s kind of how we’re handling it. Every day they’re being charted on the same kicks from kickoffs to mortar kicks to onside to field goals. So, it’s all going to come down to a big body of work and who we decide on at the end.”
The lack of preseason games affects special teams beyond placekicking. The focus on most drills in the limited practice time has been focused on the offense and defense.
“We are certainly trying to do more physical drills,” Boyer said. “It is very hard, you got 80 guys to try to get trained up with no offseason and trying to get your real-life drills, so I am trying to make it so when we do have full pads on, to try to do more condensed field, but some sits on returners, more emphasis on wrapping up and tackling and getting the ball out and things like that. So, it does make it tough for us but we are doing the best we can to try to get these guys going and we will continue to do so in the next two, three weeks.”
Boyer would not give a timetable on when the Jets would make a final decision on their placekicker.
