Kicking carousel shows no signs of slowing
The New York Jets opened the regular season with their kicking position still unsettled, bringing in multiple specialists for workouts. The latest in-person addition was free agent Joshua Karty, who worked out for the team on Wednesday.
The roster picture remains fluid. Jason Sanders was initially named the starter but produced a poor showing in the preseason finale, which led to him being moved off the active roster and onto the practice squad. Blake Grupe was claimed off waivers and is currently on the roster, with Sanders and Grupe locked in an ongoing position battle for the kicking job.
The turnover follows a longer trend of instability at the position for the organization since the departure of Nick Folk following his earlier stint with the club, a pattern that has kept the Jets searching for a reliable long-term option.
Workouts stack up; high-profile name included in reports
In addition to Joshua Karty’s workout, the team auditioned additional kickers as part of its extended evaluation. Yardbarker reported the Jets brought in veteran Justin Tucker and Michael Badgley for workouts as well. Yardbarker also noted that Tucker was released by his previous team amid allegations that have been publicly reported.
The Jets’ approach has been pragmatic: keep trying options in practice and preseason settings until a clear choice emerges. Bringing in multiple kickers for tryouts is further evidence the coaching staff and personnel department are not settled on a single long-term answer.
Joshua Karty’s audition fits that pattern. A recent NFL Network report identified Karty as the player working out in New York, giving the Jets another candidate with recent game experience to evaluate ahead of the regular season.
Yahoo! News projected that, should the Jets add Karty, the move would likely result in him taking the practice-squad role currently occupied by Sanders. That remains a projection at this stage and would depend on how the team ultimately decides to configure its roster and whether it keeps multiple kickers under contract.
Short-term needs and roster mechanics
The Jets’ immediate concern is straightforward: find a kicker they can trust in close games. That practical requirement has driven the club to audition several veterans and free agents in rapid succession.
Workout signings typically reflect short-term solutions, contingency planning and an attempt to push current options to improve. For the Jets, running through a list of proven and available kickers — from veterans like Badgley to proven performers in other environments — signals an urgency to stabilize the position before Week 1.
How the situation resolves will hinge on what the team sees in practice and any remaining preseason reps. Those evaluations will determine whether the Jets stick with Grupe, keep Sanders in the mix, add Karty to the practice squad, or select another auditioning veteran.
For now, the Jets’ kicking room remains unsettled, with Joshua Karty’s workout the latest move in an ongoing search. The club continues to audition candidates and evaluate the best path forward as roster decisions firm up in the days ahead.
