Jets may have to wait until roster cutdowns to find their plan at kicker

When the New York Jets lost 2025 kicker Nick Folk in free agency to the Atlanta Falcons, any fan could have told you it was going to be the start of a long and winding journey to find their plan at the position for the 2026 season.

After a summer of musical chairs with players like Lenny Krieg and Younghoe Koo, New York has whittled the competition down to Cade York and Jason Sanders, two veteran kickers who have had their ups and downs throughout the summer.

Recently, it had felt like Sanders was taking an early lead thanks to some stellar preseason performances. But reports out of practice indicate neither kicker has been able to distinguish themselves from the other.

The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt reported that the two kickers struggled in practice on Monday, suggesting the Jets don't have their opening-day solution on the roster. Could they wait to see who hits waivers after roster cutdowns?

New York Jets may need to continue their search for a kicker

Rosenblatt revealed that both kickers struggled with consistency, with York missing two of his five attempts from 38 and 43 yards, while Sanders missed three attempts from 38, 43, and 53 yards.

Both kickers have had their struggles throughout the offseason, but it felt like Sanders' perfect performance throughout the Jets' first two preseason games placed him squarely ahead of York. The former Dolphins All-Pro has been a perfect 2-for-2 while York has managed to convert 2-of-3 attempts.

Clearly, practice hasn't been the exact same story, and the Jets may need to keep their eyes peeled for other kicking competitions around the league.

The New Orleans Saints added veteran kicker Daniel Carlson to the mix on Sunday night, bringing a third leg to compete with Charlie Smythe and Tanner Pryce, who have had their own struggles throughout the offseason.

Surely New Orleans will start to narrow that competition down sooner rather than later, and the Jets could look to bring in whoever shakes loose in the Big Easy.

Of course, there is still the veteran market. Brandon McManus played 14 games with the Green Bay Packers last season and nailed 24 of 30 field goal attempts. It's not perfect, but it's a better and more recent resume than either York or Sanders, who weren't in the league last year.

Regardless, it's starting to feel more and more like the Jets don't have a solid option currently on the roster, and that their Week 1 starter has yet to be signed.

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