Jets' Kicker Competition Takes a Surprise Turn Less Than 2 Weeks Before OTAs

The offseason kicker competition is officially smaller after someone received his walking papers.

Jets special teams coordinator Chris Banjo has one less kicker to evaluate after Thursday's news. | John Jones-Imagn Images

The next phase of the Jets' offseason begins with organized team activities (OTAs) in less than two weeks. Even though OTAs are non-contact and optional to participate in, they are still one of the biggest parts of the offseason, offering Jets head coach Aaron Glenn his first opportunity to see how the veterans and rookies will come together.

OTAs will also kickstart a handful of position battles, with the one to find the Jets' next kicker among the biggest. With Nick Folk leaving in free agency, New York added Cade York and Lenny Krieg early in the offseason before signing Will Ferrin after the 2026 NFL Draft. Although fans were expecting to see a summer-long battle to decide the honors, Glenn & Co. had other plans.

On Thursday, the New York Post's Brian Costello reported that the Jets have cut Ferrin to make room for just-signed wide receiver Tim Patrick. It wasn't all bad for the UDFA kicker, who netted $18,750 in guaranteed money from his brief time, per ESPN's Rick Cimini.

The Jets are cutting rookie kicker Will Ferrin, according to a source. He was a UDFA signing from BYU. This clears a roster spot for Tim Patrick. They still have kickers Cade York and Lenny Krieg on the roster.

— Brian Costello (@BrianCoz) May 14, 2026

Considering how Patrick has ties to Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey, it isn't surprising to see the Jets freeing up a logjam in one area to add much-needed depth to another. It is surprising, however, that Ferrin only had less than a month to prove himself before getting axed, especially with OTAs right around the corner.

As a result, Gang Green is one step closer to declaring a winner for their kicker competition.

Will Ferrin's release narrows Jets' kicker competition

Barring any unforeseen signings, the Jets will head into OTAs and training camp with York and Krieg as the lone names competing for the starting kicker job. It would've been nice to see Ferrin stick around for the long haul, but the NFL is a business. He's young enough to get a chance elsewhere, as there is never a shortage of kicking opportunities in this league.

York, 25, has a clear experience advantage over Krieg. The former 2022 fourth-rounder has made 23 regular-season appearances across four seasons. He's reliable in the extra-point department (51-of-54, 94.4% in his career), but field goals are where he leaves much to be desired. York is only 33-of-45 on his career (73.3 FG%), which includes going an underwhelming 12-of-20 (60.0%) from 40 yards or further.

Cade York has more experience than Lenny Krieg, but that doesn't change the fact that he still has a lot to prove to the Jets. | Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

Krieg, meanwhile, is a 23-year-old German-born kicker who's yet to make an NFL regular-season appearance. He showed promise in the German Football League and European League of Football before signing a three-year contract with the Falcons last offseason. He missed one of his two 50-yard FG attempts while nailing his only XP try in the preseason before Atlanta released him right before September.

Signed to a futures contract in January, Krieg now has a more straightforward path to impressing the Jets with Ferrin out of the picture. It also helps that Krieg seemingly looked solid at New York's rookie minicamp last week, whereas Ferrin's experience wasn't as enjoyable, as evidenced by some missed FG attempts.

UDFA kicker Will Ferrin nailing the upright: pic.twitter.com/DPSN5ixdvI

— Zack Rosenblatt (@ZackBlatt) May 8, 2026

With Ferrin out of the mix, Krieg and York will face even more pressure heading into OTAs, which begin in Florham Park, NJ, on Wednesday, May 27. The duo will be under the microscope as the Jets look for every reason to cut or keep them, making it crucial that they don't follow in Ferrin's footsteps. Clearly, Glenn & Co.'s expectations are higher than ever.

And higher expectations are a good thing, especially for a franchise that hasn't tasted playoff football since 2010. Having a reliable kicker is key to consistent playoff berths, so having either Krieg or York emerge as a trustworthy leg would be huge for the Jets' chances to compete for a postseason spot next season.