The New York Jets are determined not to repeat their previous error.
ESPN’s Rich Cimini reported that the Jets have added 26-year-old to their 53-man roster.
“Just one week after losing Spencer Shrader by leaving him on the practice squad, the Jets have taken a more proactive approach,” Cimini noted.
Hehad initially been signed to the practice squad and was elevated for the Week 11 game against the Indianapolis Colts. During the game, he successfully made both of his field goal attempts and converted all three extra points.
To make room for Carlson on the roster, the Jets released defensive tackle Bruce Hector, according to Dennis Waszak Jr. of the Associated Press.
Jets Lock in Their Kicker, Prevent Another Poaching
Last week, the Jets tried to play it clever. Instead of promoting Spencer Shrader to the 53-man roster, they elevated him from the practice squad for the game against the Arizona Cardinals, planning to do the same the following week.
However, the Kansas City Chiefs swooped in and offered Shrader the starting kicker role for the next month, successfully enticing him away from the Jets. Had they acted more strategically, they could have avoided losing Shrader altogether.
It appeared the Jets were on track to repeat the same mistake with Anders Carlson, keeping him on the practice squad and risking another team poaching him. This time, though, the Jets acted swiftly and locked Carlson in, preventing any chance of him being taken.
This move might seem like little more than a footnote with the team sitting at 3-8. Historically, no team with a 3-8 record has ever made the playoffs. Signing a kicker at this point could appear to be like “rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic,” but it secures a reliable kicker for the remainder of the season—and possibly beyond.
Carlson, 26, entered the NFL in 2023 as the 207th overall pick in the sixth round. He’s a young kicker with a powerful leg.
So far this season, he hasn’t missed a single kick, going 7-for-7. Carlson has also nailed several kicks from 50+ yards, including a 50-yard, a 55-yard, and most recently, a 58-yard field goal with the Jets.
Massive Roster Turnover Is Coming for the Jets
Carlson becomes the fourth different kicker the Jets have used this season. While the team is hopeful that the kicker carousel is finally coming to an end, the same can’t be said for the rest of the roster.
According to Spotrac, the Jets have 21 pending free agents—both unrestricted and restricted—heading into the 2025 offseason.
With a new regime likely on the horizon, many players currently under contract with the Jets could be at risk of losing their spots.
The Jets went all in on their Aaron Rodgers-driven window, but time is quickly running out for that plan to come to fruition. If a new front office takes over as expected, major changes are on the way at 1 Jets Drive this offseason.
While Gang Green fans may not be excited about the prospect of yet another rebuild, the best path to finally turning things around is through a proper foundation. That starts with hiring the right leadership, and according to NFL Insider Dianna Russini of The Athletic, the Jets have already begun exploring potential candidates.
Leave a Reply