Interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich said he isn’t concerned about New York Jets placekicker Greg Zuerlein despite his recent struggles.
They say actions speak louder than words.
On Wednesday, October 16 NFL Network Insider Mike Garafolo shared that the Jets worked out three kickers, “Matt Coghlin, Riley Patterson, and Cade York.”
Zuerlein is going to be the Jets’ kicker for the Week 7 Sunday Night Football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Will he remain the kicker after that?
This flurry of workouts firmly puts Zuerlein on notice. Play up to your potential or you might be out of a job.
Who Did the Jets Kick the Tires on at Kicker?
The lesser name of the group is Matt Coghlin. He played college football at Michigan State from 2017 through 2021.
During that run, he never missed an extra point going 148-for-148. The field goal conversion rate was a lot less sexy. Coghlin finished 76-of-104. That is a 73.1% conversion rate on his field goal attempts.
He hasn’t had NFL experience, instead, he has been bouncing around the semi-professional leagues.
This spring he earned the nickname, “Mr. Dependable” for leading the United Football League in field goal percentage (94%). He finished 16-of-17 and his longest field goal he converted was from 57 yards out while a member of the Memphis Showboats.
The other two names the Jets investigated have professional experience at the NFL level.
Riley Patterson entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2021. Over the last four years, Patterson has played for six NFL teams. All in all the former Memphis product has appeared in 39 NFL games and has made 16 of 19 field goals (88.1% conversion rate).
Cade York entered the NFL as the No. 124 overall pick in the fourth round in 2022. He has played for four NFL teams over the last two years.
Bluntly, he has not performed well at this level. He has converted 24 of his 34 field goal attempts for a 70.6% conversion rate.
The Jets Are Playing a Fine Line at the Kicker Position
On one hand, Zuerlein has an incredibly strong track record. He entered the league back in 2012 and has had a wildly successful 13-year career to date.
That journey includes a first-team All-Pro nomination and a Pro Bowl berth in the past. The history gives you confidence that you know it is in there somewhere, but being a kicker is fickle.
That position perhaps more than any other is 99% mental. There are a lot of talented kickers on the planet, but once they get the yips it’s a hard funk to get out of. The Jets are trusting that Zuerlein will get out of it.
Last season Zuerlein was nearly automatic. He was 35-of-38 [92.1% conversion rate] and made kicks when they mattered most. He was rewarded this offseason with a two-year deal for $8.4 million with $4.1 million guaranteed.
The Jets front office remembers his performance from last season and the money they have already invested in him. The fans that are demanding his head on a pike are less forgiving.
The green and white are 2-4 on the season and their kicker has missed multiple key field goals in two of the four losses that could’ve flipped the game and their season.
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