Well, it appears the New York Jets’ kicking competition is over, at least for now.
According to Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic, the Jets have waived Cade York, with Jason Sanders now being the only kicker on the team’s roster.
York, 25, has bounced around the league since being drafted in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL draft, spending time with seven teams over that span. His career field goal percentage sits at just 73.3% throughout 23 regular-season games.
He was far from perfect throughout the Jets’ first two preseason games. While the 25-year-old made both of his PATs, he went one of two on field goal attempts, missing a 59-yarder and barely sneaking a 38-yard attempt in. It arguably could have been called a miss.
As for Sanders, he had the lead in the battle to begin with due to a stronger track record. He has had a much more stable NFL career, spending all eight of his first NFL seasons with the Miami Dolphins and owning a career field goal percentage of 84.6%.
He also set a franchise record in Miami by making 27 consecutive field goals in 2024, the most in team history.
Speaking to the media earlier this month, Jets special teams coordinator Chris Banjo emphasized the importance of Sanders’ veteran experience.
“I think that’s huge,” he said. “You talk about a guy who’s kicked in our division before, a guy who’s kicked in our stadium. So, a guy who is very confident in his ability and has shown time in and time out that he can get the job done. So, having somebody with experience like that is something that we hold dear.”
It’s possible the Jets could add another veteran kicker to the room before the season starts, but Gang Green’s waiving York suggests Sanders is the starting kicker for now.
