Jets Firmly Put $8.4 Million Starter on Notice After Signing 24-Year-Old

New York Jets starting placekicker Greg Zuerlein’s job is very much in jeopardy this offseason.

Following the 2025 NFL draft, the Jets signed former Ole Miss kicker Caden Davis as an undrafted free agent.

Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic said it appears that “[Aaron] Glenn and special teams coordinator Chris Banjo will be putting forth a legitimate kicking competition heading into the summer, with Davis pushing veterans Greg Zuerlein and Anders Carlson.”

Zuerlein has one year left on his $8.4 million contract. That raise made Zuerlein the highest-paid kicker in Jets franchise history.

Davis Is Serious Competition for Zuerlein This Summer

Dane Brugler ranked Davis higher than Arizona kicker Tyler Loop in “The Beast.” That is notable because Loop was selected with the No. 186 overall pick in the sixth round by the Baltimore Ravens.

“Davis really only had two years of college kicking game experience, barely playing for three years at Texas A&M before transferring. At Ole Miss, he converted 100 of 102 extra points and 42 of 52 field goals, including 3 of 8 from 50-plus and 13 of 17 from 40-plus,” Rosenblatt explained.

Jim Nagy, the former executive director of the Reese’s Senior Bowl, said back on November 9, 2024, that Davis “is [the] best kickoff guy in this year’s draft (by [a] wide margin). KO hang-times in 4.10-4.20 range, which is insane. NFL ST coordinators who want automatic touchbacks will love this guy. Hit [a] 57-yard FG earlier this year and [an] impressive 53-yarder today in sloppy conditions.”

𝐁𝐈𝐆 𝐋𝐄𝐆 𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐑𝐓‼️ For all the specialist sickos out there, @OleMissFB PK Caden Davis is best kickoff guy in this year’s draft (𝙗𝙮 𝙬𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙜𝙞𝙣!). KO hang-times in 4.10-4.20 range, which is insane. NFL ST coordinators who want automatic touchbacks will love… pic.twitter.com/2m9OdSwU00

— Jim Nagy (@JimNagy_Sooners) November 9, 2024

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The numbers confirmed Nagy’s comments on social media.

Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic revealed that Davis, “led the country with 75 touchbacks on kickoffs in 2024 and PFF had him graded as the nation’s best in that area.”

Oh, How the Mighty Have Fallen

In 2023, Zuerlein had arguably the greatest single season in Jets franchise history for a kicker.

He converted 35 of his 38 field goal attempts (92.1% conversion rate). Zuerlein finished 15 of 16 on his extra point attempts (93.8% conversion rate).

That legendary performance drove the Jets to give him a record-breaking extension. A year later, Zuerlein was a disaster.

He followed that up with one of the worst seasons of his long NFL career. Zuerlein missed six field goal attempts and cost the Jets several games.

Eventually, the team placed him on injured reserve for a mysterious injury and kept him on the roster out of the spotlight.

Now he has a chance for redemption this offseason.

However, a young player with a ton of upside is hot on his heels. The other thing that Davis has going for him is his contract.

Zuerlein ($4.7 million cap hit) will make more money this year than Davis will make over the entire duration of his three-year contract with the Jets ($2.9 million).

This current regime has zero ties to Zuerlein.

The best and maybe cheapest player will win this competition in training camp. Three kickers will enter the octagon; however, only one will walk out and represent the Jets in 2025.