The New York Jets opted to place kicker Greg Zuerlein on injured reserve rather than release him, citing a previously undisclosed injury to his left knee. This decision comes amid Zuerlein’s significant performance slump, which has been a notable factor in the Jets’ disappointing season. In his absence, the Jets signed kickers Riley Patterson and Spencer Shrader to the practice squad. The two kickers will compete for the spot for Thursday night’s game against the Houston Texans, chosen from a pool of six kickers who auditioned at MetLife Stadium earlier this week.
Interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich was cautious in his statements regarding Zuerlein’s future with the team, especially after a recent narrow loss to the New England Patriots in which Zuerlein missed a 44-yard field goal and an extra point. Although it seemed likely the team might move on from the veteran kicker, Zuerlein’s injury buys him and the Jets some additional time to assess their options. The head coach, however, did not initially disclose Zuerlein’s injury to reporters, fueling further speculation about the team’s handling of the situation and the kicker’s status moving forward.
Zuerlein, who has been a reliable player for the Jets in the past, received the largest contract in team history for a kicker before the season: a two-year deal worth $8.4 million. Yet, his performance this season has been a stark contrast, with his missed field goals contributing to three of the team’s six losses. The Jets have found themselves in critical situations where Zuerlein’s accuracy could have changed the outcome, such as a missed 50-yard attempt against the Denver Broncos and additional misses against the Buffalo Bills, adding pressure on the team’s coaching staff.
This season, Zuerlein has made only 9 of his 15 field goal attempts, with a career-low success rate of 60%. He joins Brett Maher as the only two NFL kickers in the past three seasons to miss six field goals within the first eight games of the season. Particularly in crucial moments, Zuerlein has struggled; he has gone 2-for-5 in the fourth quarter, including 1-for-4 when the game margin was within three points, an area where he previously thrived.
As the Jets enter Week 9 at 2-6, their Super Bowl hopes appear to be fading, exacerbated by the kicker’s inconsistencies. Coach Ulbrich, while supportive of Zuerlein thus far, acknowledged that a change was necessary to address the team’s performance issues. Patterson, who has been an NFL kicker with an 88% success rate across three teams, and Shrader, with limited NFL experience, offer two distinct options. With Zuerlein sidelined, the Jets will assess their new options, hoping for more stability in the kicking game as they strive to turn around their season.
