New York Jets Kicking Carousel Rotates After Chiefs Poach Rookie

The New York Jets will have to use a new kicker for the fourth straight game on Sunday against Indianapolis.

Mar 3, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Notre Dame place kicker Spencer Shrader (PK08) during the 2024 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Another game, another new kicker for the New York Jets.

The revolving door spun again on Thursday after Spencer Shrader agreed to a deal with the Kansas City Chiefs to serve as what is likely to be a short-term fill-in for Harrison Butker, who was placed on injured reserve.

The Chiefs could sign Shrader because he was on the Jets’ practice squad and not the active roster. According to ESPN, New York did offer Shrader a spot on the 53-man roster, but he chose to sign with the Chiefs.

Butker will miss the next four games. Turns out that’s the same number of consecutive games the Jets (3-7) will have a new placekicker.

Shrader, a rookie, was the Jets’ kicker on Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals. He made both field-goal attempts as New York lost, 31-6.

Without him, the Jets have one kicker on their practice squad, Anders Carslon, who New York signed last week after it released Riley Patterson.

It’s likely the Jets will elevate Carlson before Sunday’s game, given the short turnaround.

The Jets had the worst kicker in the NFL in Greg Zuerlein, the highly-regarded veteran who had great seasons in 2022 and 2023 for New York before his performance slid this season.

Zuerlein had the worst field-goal percentage of any kicker in the NFL as he was 9-for-15 (60%), his worst since he went 66.7% in 2015.

But, New York placed him on injured reserve after the New England game in Oct. 27. In that game he missed two field goals that could have helped the Jets win the game. A few days later he came up with a knee injury.

The Jets signed both Patterson and Shrader to the practice squad but elevated Patterson for the Houston game. Patterson did not attempt a field goal but made all three extra points.

New York released Patterson and elevated Shrader for the Cardinals game, in part because Shrader was better on kickoffs.

Carlson was drafted by the Packers in 2023 in the sixth round (No. 207) out of Auburn. Oddly, that selection was one Green Bay acquired in the Aaron Rodgers trade in 2023.

As a rookie with the Packers he made 81% (27-of-33) of his field goal attempts and 87% (34-of-39) of his extra points. He was 7-of-12 on field goals of 40 yards or longer, including 3-of-5 on field goals of 50 yards or longer.

The Packers released Carlson on Aug. 27. He signed with the 49ers practice squad on Oct. 15 and was added to the active roster for two games after an injury to Moody. In those two games he was 5-for-5 on field goals and 3-for-4 on extra points. His longest field goal with San Francisco was 55 yards.