New York Jets 2019: Ranking the 53-man roster — #22 Lachlan Edwards

As another lost New York Jets season unfolds, it’s time to evaluate this 53-man roster. Let’s continue this daily ranking with #22, punter Lachlan Edwards.

New York Jets punter Lachlan Edwards is one of 14 draftees remaining from the previous Mike Maccagnan/Todd Bowles regime. The Australian Rules Football player honed his American game punting at Sam Houston State. Gang Green 2016 took him in the seventh-round (235th overall).

Edwards has been consistent since day one: punting all 16 games of his four seasons, with his past two years averaging identical 45.9 per.

Sure, Lac’s had a few flubs among his 338 attempts. But he’s a proven special teams asset — an excellent directional kicker, with an innate ability to blast kicks long or place balls inside the 20, without outkicking the coverage.

Edwards offers additional value as a reliable FG holder. The only knock on his game is the few big returns against him, lowering his net average to a pedestrian 41.6 per. But that’s also related to coverage.

General manager Joe Douglas has worked hard to secure special teams upgrades. He extended the contract (four years, $4.1 million) of long-snapper Thomas Hennessy, because the local Don Bosco Prep product has done his job perfectly in his three-seasons. In contrast, this franchise might’ve missed out on a chance of a playoff race by not re-signing All-Pro kicker Jason Myers — a problem later compounded by Adam Gase, who allowed for the Tayler Bertolet/Kaare Vedvik debacle.

Edwards’ $720,000 salary was a wise investment for 2019.  The last camp, he won out in competition over Gase’s Dolphins punter Matt Darr. This year, he must fend off-reserve/futures signee Ian Berryman, a two-time All-American and the all-time leading punter in Western Carolina history.

Special Teams coach Brant Boyer loves Edwards. If Douglas/Gase lock into Lac, he’s on pace to soon overtake New York Jets all-time leading punter, Super Bowler Curley Johnson (1961-1968).

#53 Trumaine Johnson   #52 Ryan Kalil  #51 Kelechi Osemele   #50 Quinnen Williams   #49 Chuma Edoga    #48 Frankie Luvu    #47 Sam Ficken    #46 Nate Hairston   #45 Brandon Shell    #44  Jordan Willis    #43 Vyncint Smith   #42 Kyron Brown   #41 Bilal Powell   #40 Maurice Canady   #39 Darryl Roberts   #38 Harvey Langi   #37 Tom Compton   #36 Trevon Wesco   #35 Daniel Brown   #34 Matthias Farley   #33 Demaryius Thomas   #32 Chris Herndon    #31 Trevor Siemian   #30 Quincy Enunwa    #29 Trenton Cannon   #28 Ty Montgomery    #27 Blake Cashman    #26 Braxton Berrios   #25 CJ Mosley   #24 Alex Lewis   #23 Tarell Basham