The New York Jets have a gigantic need for a kicker after Chandler Catanzaro announced his retirement on Sunday morning. With Catanzaro gone, the Jets must fill the kicker position quickly as their second preseason game approaches. Jets top option, Kaare Vedcik, was traded from the Baltimore Ravens for a fifth-round pick to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. The free-agent market isn’t packed with any promising solutions, the top options being Matt Bryant and Blair Walsh. Dan Bailey might be a future option for the Jets as he will be battling Vedvik for the kicker spot on the Vikings. The Jets have little to work with and will probably have to wait until the cut day to scour the market for their new kicker.
Open Competition
I think the New York Jets should approach this problem the same way the Bears have, get as many kickers as possible and hold a giant competition. The Jets have nothing to lose, bring in 5 guys and make them battle it out seems like the most logical way to find your guy. Five players the Jets can bring in are Taylor Bertolet, Matt Bryant, Blair Walsh, Ross Martin, and Matt McCrane.
Trading Options
If the Jets were to trade for their new kicker, names like Dan Bailey and Mason Crosby would be intriguing. A trade would most likely cost the Jets to fork over at least a 5th or 6th round pick, but its better than losing a game due to a missed field goal because you were too cheap to trade.