Jets Country

Report: Jets Sign Punter Thomas Morstead

The New York Jets are signing veteran punter Thomas Morstead to replace injured punter Braden Mann. Morstead spent the last 12 seasons on the New Orleans Saints

Max Goodman

On Monday, speaking about injured punter Braden Mann, Jets head coach Robert Saleh mentioned that New York will work out some players at the position. 

One day later, it looks like they found their guy.

The Jets are signing veteran Thomas Morstead, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

Morstead, 35, spent the last 12 seasons (and his entire career up to this point) with the New Orleans Saints, remarkably only missing two games since his age-23 season in 2009.

Mann is expected to be sidelined for four to six weeks with a knee sprain so Morstead can immediately slot into the second-year punter's shoes, a reliable asset for Saleh and special teams coordinator Brant Boyer.

Over those 12 seasons, Morstead has punted 692 times for a total of 32,190 yards. That's good for an average of 46.5 yards per punt. 

Morstead is also a Super Bowl champion, winning a ring with the Saints back in 2010. That experience can never hurt when trying to establish a winning culture with a very young team. Morstead's presence could even make Mann better in the long run after the punter's solid rookie season a year ago.

Bringing on Morstead does signal the end of Matt Ammendola's brief punting career (at least for now). The kicker dove into a role he's never been in before on Sunday in Carolina after Mann went down with his injury early in the first quarter, filling in admirably. 

READ: Matt Ammendola Was Punting For First Time Ever in 'Surreal' NFL Debut

Even Ammendola admitted, however, that he doesn't necessarily have what it takes to be a punter in the pros, citing consistency as something that could hold him back with more of a sample size. Now, the Jets have one of the most consistent players at that position in the last decade with experience to spare.

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Max Goodman
MAX GOODMAN

Max Goodman covers the New York Jets for Sports Illustrated and FanNation. He also covers the New York Yankees, publisher  of Sports Illustrated and FanNation's Yankees site, Inside The Pinstripes. Before starting out with SI, Goodman attended Northwestern University and the Medill School of Journalism. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Broadcast Journalism and Master’s Degree in Sports Media, graduating in 2019. While at school, Goodman gathered valuable experience as an anchor and reporter on NNN SportsNight and played on the club baseball team. Goodman previously interned at MLB.com as an associate reporter covering the Miami Marlins. He also interned with ESPN, working as an associate reporter on Mike Greenberg's Get Up. Goodman is from New York City. He grew up in Hell's Kitchen. Follow Goodman on Twitter @MaxTGoodman and connect with him via email by reaching out at maxgoodmansports@gmail.com.

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