The New York Jets wasted no time re-igniting their kicker competition.
Mere hours after the team announced it had released undrafted rookie kicker Caden Davis, Jets head coach Aaron Glenn told the media that New York has signed veteran free agent Nick Folk.
Folk worked out for the Jets on Monday.
The release of Davis left Harrison Mevis as the only kicker on the Jets’ roster. Folk is now set to compete with the 23-year-old former UFL standout for the Jets’ kicking job.
A sixth-round pick in the 2007 NFL draft, Folk returns to the Jets after kicking for them in 104 regular season games (plus three playoff games) from 2010 to 2016. As a Jet, Folk made 82.2% of his field goal attempts and 99% of his extra point attempts.
Since leaving the Jets, Folk has ascended to new heights during the back nine of his career. Across four years with the rival New England Patriots (2019-22), Folk made 89.3% of his field goal attempts and 91.3% of his extra point attempts.
Folk joined the Tennessee Titans in 2023, and he proceeded to lead the NFL in field goal percentage in back-to-back seasons. He topped the charts with a 96.7% conversion rate in 2023 (29 for 30) and did it once again in 2024 with a 95.5% performance (21 for 22).
Over the last two seasons, Folk has made a league-best 96.2% of his field goal attempts, missing just twice on 52 tries. From 50+ yards, Folk went an astounding 11 for 12 (91.7%). He also connected on 96.2% of his extra points.
Despite his age, Folk has been the cream of the crop at his position. Still, NFL teams are always wary of aging kickers falling off a cliff, which the Jets experienced firsthand with Greg Zuerlein in 2024. Because of that, Folk has lingered on the open market.
But if Folk has a strong summer, he can convince his former organization that he has another successful season in the tank.
