Analyzing Jets' Options for Potential Kicker Solutions After Friday's Blowout Loss

Finding a viable solution might not be easy this close to the regular season.

Jets head coach Aaron Glenn likely isn't thrilled that this issue has resurfaced. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Jets' sights are set on Week 1 of the 2026 NFL regular season now that the exhibition action is over. Gang Green was on the wrong side of Friday night's 23-6 outcome against the Giants, proving that the Jets still have much to prove after scoring just 16 points in the last seven quarters of football.

Even though the preseason finale won't have an impact on the regular season, Friday night's lopsided loss revealed a lot about the improvements New York must make. Certain roster areas still need significant improvement if the Jets want to challenge for an AFC playoff spot this fall, including one area that has become a headache again: the kicking room.

Fixing the Jets' kicking situation after Friday's loss vs. Giants

After watching Nick Folk leave in free agency, finding a new starting kicker was among the Jets' top priorities this offseason. They sifted through various options before entering training camp with two final candidates: Cade York and Jason Sanders. After duking it out throughout late July and early August, New York concluded the competition by naming Sanders the winner earlier this week (and waiving York in the process).

The Jets had every reason to feel confident in Sanders, who went 2-of-2 on field goals and 2-of-2 on extra points in the first two preseason contests. Unfortunately, the former All-Pro kicker booted away all confidence on Friday when he missed an extra-point attempt in the first quarter before a 54-yard FG attempt came significantly short of the target in the final frame.

It didn't take Jason Sanders long to go from a solution to a problem for the Jets. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Kicker concerns aren't good at any point in the football season, especially when we're just a few weeks away from a Week 1 showdown with the Titans. Sanders was supposed to have solved the Jets' kicking conundrum, but now it looks like head coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey will have to find a replacement for him.

Free agency

Given where we are in the offseason, it isn't surprising that the list of remaining free-agent kickers isn't amazing. That said, the Jets could bring in someone like Matt Prater, who hit 90.0% of his field goals and 93.9% of his extra points in 15 games with the rival Bills last season. That included a comfortable Week 2 showing at MetLife Stadium, as he went a perfect 3-of-3 on FGs against the Jets, featuring a 52-yarder in the second quarter.

Brandon McManus had a forgettable 50.0 FG% in 14 games with the Packers last season, but the Jets might still think he has something left in the tank, considering that he just had a 95.2 FG% in 2024. Former Commander Jake Moody and ex-Cardinal Joshua Karty are also out there.

Of course, this list could changed based on who's cut next.

Waiver wire

The NFL's 53-man roster deadline goes into effect at 6 p.m. ET on Sunday, meaning it won't be long until the waiver wire is buzzing with potential kicking options. That's good news for the Jets, who have the second-highest waiver priority (trailing only the Raiders) after where they finished in the standings last season.

Although kicker wasn't one of the three positions that Sports Illustrated's Nick Faria listed the Jets as potentially targeting on the waiver wire after Sunday, that's bound to change after Sanders's disastrous performance against the Giants. Speaking of the G-Men, they're likely to waive kicker Ben Sauls after he lost his own competition to rookie Dominic Zvada. Sauls was a flawless 8-for-8 and 7-for-7 on FGs and XPs, respectively, last season.

Trade market

Chances are that a starting-caliber kicker won't be available via trade this close to the regular season. If a team has a reliable leg at this point in the offseason, they aren't going to let them go.

Needless to say, it'll be interesting to see how the Jets will approach resurfaced kicking concerns. Time is ticking until Week 1, and if New York doesn't have a reliable kicker by then, it's safe to say that fans will be in for another long season as far as special teams are concerned.

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