With Chandler Catanzaro announcing his retirement on Sunday, the Jets are in need of a kicker with the regular season less than a month away.
New York signed Taylor Bertolet to replace Catanzaro, but odds are the Jets will add another kicker or two to compete for the starting job throughout the remainder of training camp and the preseason. Kaare Vedvik was thought of as a potential solution to Gang Green’s kicking woes, but the Ravens traded him to the Minnesota Vikings instead.
With Vedvik off the market, who’s left for the Jets to sign? Here are four kickers New York can bring in to compete for the job with Bertolet.
Joey Slye
As Graham Gano’s backup, opportunities for Joey Slye to make an impact with the Panthers are limited. However, he could be in line for a shot at increased playing time with a new team after his performance in Carolina’s preseason opener against the Bears.
In his NFL debut, Slye went 3-3 on field goals, draining kicks from 29, 42 and 55 yards out. Like Kaare Vedvik, Slye could potentially be dealt before the regular season if a team comes calling with a worthy offer.
The Jets should definitely be interested in the former Virginia Tech walk-on after the way he kicked in Week 1 of the preseason. If Joe Douglas is interested in trading for a kicker as opposed to signing one, Carolina should be his first call.
Cody Parkey
Cody Parkey’s tenure with the Bears did not end well, but he could possibly have a shot at redemption with the Jets if they come calling.
After signing a four-year deal with Chicago, Parkey proceeded to miss seven field goals and three PATs in 2018, including the infamous double-doink miss against the Eagles in the NFC Wild Card round. Parkey has not received much interest since the Bears released him in March with $3.5 million in guaranteed money still on his contract, but at 26, he has plenty of time to get back on track.
The intrigue here lies within Parkey’s relationship with Adam Gase. Parkey was Gase’s kicker in Miami, going 21-23 on field goal attempts and 26-29 on extra points with the Dolphins in 2017. Parkey was solid for Gase, making it entirely possible that New York’s first-year head coach could fancy a reunion with his old kicker.
Matt Bryant
Matt Bryant is 44, but that doesn’t mean he can’t come in and make an impact with the Jets.
Bryant missed three games with a hamstring injury last season, which is somewhat concerning for a player his age. However, he was nearly perfect for the Falcons in 2018, going 20-21 on field goal attempts and 33-35 on extra points.
Throughout his long NFL career, Bryant has been a model of consistency. Does he have one more good year of football left in him? It might be worth New York’s while to find out.
Blair Walsh
Blair Walsh hasn’t been the same since the 2015 playoffs, but he was an All-Pro kicker once upon a time. Could he still have some of that All-Pro talent left in him?
The Jets hosted Walsh for a workout this past weekend but opted to sign Taylor Bertolet over him. Since they already picked Bertolet over him once, it’s hard to see the Jets bringing him into camp. However, with the current state of New York’s kicking game, it might not be the worst idea in the world to give Walsh an extended look.
