The New York Jets desperately need a new kicker. Will there be any potential solutions on the free agent market?
Since letting Jason Myers walk in free agency following his Pro Bowl season in 2018, the kicker position has been a major weakness for the New York Jets. Throwing out Kaare Vedvik (1 game) and Sam Ficken (15 games) in 2019, the Jets ranked 31st in field goal percentage (67.9%) and 31st in extra point percentage (85.2%). Behind the combination of Ficken (9 games), Sergio Castillo (6 games), and Chase McLaughlin (1 game) in 2020, the Jets ranked 26th in field goal percentage (75.0%) and 32nd in extra point percentage (83.3%).
Finding an answer at kicker must be on the shopping list for Joe Douglas and the Jets over the next few months. Could they find their man on the free agent market?
Let’s dive into the numbers behind all of the impending free agent kickers that played a significant amount of time in the 2020 season.
Younghoe Koo (Falcons)
- Age on 9/1/21: 27.1
- Free agent type: Unrestricted
- 2020 field goal percentage: 94.9% (5th of 33 qualifiers)
- 2020 average field goal attempt distance: 38.4 yards (18th of 33)
- Career field goal percentage: 88.7% (4th of 43 active qualifiers)
- 2020 extra point percentage: 91.7% (20th of 33)
- Career extra point percentage: 93.4% (25th of 43 active qualifiers*)
- Career opponent average starting field position on kickoffs: 25.9-yard line (2020 average: 25.8)
- Career kickoff hang time: 3.95 seconds (2020 average: 3.98)
*- includes only attempts made since 2015, the season that extra points were moved from 20 to 33 yards.
Daniel Carlson (Raiders)
- Age on 9/1/21: 26.6
- Free agent type: Restricted
- 2020 field goal percentage: 94.3% (6th of 33 qualifiers)
- 2020 average field goal attempt distance: 32.6 yards (33rd of 33)
- Career field goal percentage: 84.1% (19th of 43 active qualifiers)
- 2020 extra point percentage: 95.7% (10th of 33)
- Career extra point percentage: 96.3% (9th of 43 active qualifiers)
- Career opponent average starting field position on kickoffs: 25.5-yard line (2020 average: 25.8)
- Career kickoff hang time: 4.08 seconds (2020 average: 3.98)
Cairo Santos (Bears)
- Age on 9/1/21: 29.8
- Free agent type: Unrestricted
- 2020 field goal percentage: 93.8% (7th of 33 qualifiers)
- 2020 average field goal attempt distance: 36.2 yards (27th of 33)
- Career field goal percentage: 83.1% (25th of 43 active qualifiers)
- 2020 extra point percentage: 97.3% (6th of 33)
- Career extra point percentage: 95.8% (11th of 43 active qualifiers)
- Career opponent average starting field position on kickoffs: 24.6-yard line (2020 average: 25.8)
- Career kickoff hang time: 3.99 seconds (2020 average: 3.98)
Nick Folk (Patriots)
- Age on 9/1/21: 36.8
- Free agent type: Unrestricted
- 2020 field goal percentage: 92.9% (8th of 33 qualifiers)
- 2020 average field goal attempt distance: 37.9 yards (22nd of 33)
- Career field goal percentage: 81.4% (34th of 43 active qualifiers)
- 2020 extra point percentage: 90.9% (26th of 33)
- Career extra point percentage: 92.9% (28th of 43 active qualifiers)
- Was not used as primary kickoff specialist from 2019-20
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Mr Koo will do!
I hate to generalize, but I wonder how much kicking primarily indoors contributed to Koo’s recent success. I feel as if Carlson is the best of the bunch, but I doubt JD will meet the tender. I wonder if they’ll go the UDFA route this year.
Not a bad point at all. For his career, Koo has a 93.8 FG% inside and a 78.3 FG% outdoors. (on extra points, 92.5 inside and 95.2 outside).
In 2020 he went 6 for 7 (85.7) outdoors compared to 31 for 32 (96.9) inside.
Thanks for the response. If I remember correctly, Slye, Hopkins, Prater and Gonzalez names have all be tied to a year or two of great success. I guess it’s good that there legitimate options out there. Is there one kicker you have on your short list?
Slye showed a tremendous leg in 2019 before really dropping off last year (8/11 from 50+ to 1/6)
Hopkins had generally been decent (84.9% over first 5 years) until last year
Gonzalez had a very good 2019 in Arizona (88.9% FG) but in his other 3 career seasons he has been 75% or worse
Prater is still really good, his FG%s are rarely that impressive because his teams trust him to take a much higher portion of deep kicks than almost any other kicker, and he hits them (especially 50+) at very good rates.
For me I would probably avoid a young guy like Koo or Carlson who might be too expensive and try to get a veteran like Santos, Folk, or Succop on a 1 or 2 year deal, then find an undrafted free agent or 6th/7th round pick to have compete with them.