What’s better than one kicker? Two. What’s better than two kickers? Three!
The Jets now have three kickers on their roster in some capacity. According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, the Jets are signing two kickers, Riley Patterson and Spencer Shrader, to their practice squad before Thursday’s matchup against the Houston Texans. In addition, Greg Zuerlein has been moved to injured reserve with what is being described as a knee injury.
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New legs in New York: The #Jets are signing kickers Riley Patterson and Spencer Shrader to the practice squad, sources tell me and @MikeGarafolo.
They'll give Greg Zuerlein time to get his knee right. Patterson or Shrader will kick Thursday night.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) October 30, 2024
We've made the following roster moves:
◼️ Placed Greg Zuerlein on IR
◼️ Signed Marcelino McCrary-Ball to the active roster
◼️ Released DS Jaylen Key from the practice squad
◼️ Signed K Spencer Shrader & K Riley Patterson to the practice squad— New York Jets (@nyjets) October 30, 2024
Patterson has played three years in the NFL and has kicked for the Lions, Brown, and Jaguars. He has made 88.1% of his career field goal attempts (59 of 67). Patterson is reliable from under 50 yards, making 91.8% of his career attempts. However, he is limited from over 50+ yards, only hitting three of his six career attempts with a long of 53 yards.
Shrader, an undrafted rookie, has only played one career NFL game, hitting three extra points for the Colts this season in Week 1 (with no field goal attempts). However, Shrader was a five-year kicker in college, playing four seasons at South Florida and one season at Notre Dame. His best year was in 2021 with the Bulls, when he hit 11 of 13 field goals in 12 games. He only made 68.3% of his career field goal attempts in college.
It is interesting that New York has not outright cut Zuerlein and still signed two kickers to the practice squad. This could be explained by the veteran kicker’s newfound knee injury, which will keep him out of Thursday’s game. New York is evidently not ready to move on from Zuuerlein yet but can now use the injury as a reason to trot out a new kicker.
