Doug Pederson, Jaguars ‘Need To See More’ at Kicker As Camp Progresses

Ryan Santoso is the only kicker on the Jaguars roster entering this week of camp, but the Jaguars seem far from sold on him as the full-time kicker.

The Jacksonville Jaguars have one kicker on their roster entering a critical week of training camp, but do they have their kicker?

Given the chance to say so on Monday evening, Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson affirmed what most believed was the case: the Jaguars need to see more from Ryan Santoso before they can anoint him their kicker. 

“Still working there, too," Pederson said Monday when asked if Santoso now has the kicker job after Elliott Fry was injured and waived. 

"Until we make the 53, I think everybody is still fighting for spots. We know a few guys like Josh Allen are going to make the team, but there are guys competing for roster spots, and until we make that 53, I think these guys understand that.”

Santoso, 26, has appeared in seven games throughout his career with the Titans, Panthers and Lions and hasn't pulled away with the kicker job at any point during camp. He and Fry were in a tough battle for the job before Fry sustained an injury in his kicking leg against the Cleveland Browns on Friday. 

Santoso has made 4-of-5 field goals and 6-of-8 extra point attempts in his career, and the preseason has seen him go 1-of-2 on field goals, with a 38-yard make against the Browns and a 60-yard miss against the Las Vegas Raiders in the Hall of Fame game. He is 1-of-1 on point after attempts.

“Still working there. We need to see more honestly," Pederson said on Monday. 

"He understands that. It’s unfortunate that Elliot (Fry) got hurt in the game the other day because there was some nice competition going on there in practice. I thought those two would battle it out until the end, and we’ll see what happens here at the end.”

With Fry no longer on the roster, the question is now whether the Jaguars will bring in another kicker as the rosters decrease from 85 to 80 and then to 53. The Jaguars practiced on Monday evening with Santoso as their lone kicker, and any kicker they sign will be the fifth they have contracted in 2022 after Santoso, Fry, Andrew Mevis, and Matthew Wright.