Matt Darr crossed the third team off his AFC East bingo card, joining Lachlan Edwards on the New York Jets’ roster on Monday.
The New York Jets are adding a leg to open up a kicking competition. The team announced the signing of punter Matt Darr on Monday.
This will be Darr’s third NFL franchise. Ironically, all three are AFC East teams. Darr began his career with the Miami Dolphins in 2015, spending two seasons there before joining up with the Buffalo Bills in 2018.
We've signed free agent punter Matt Darr.
— New York Jets (@nyjets) May 20, 2019
The Tennessee alum joins Lachlan Edwards as the second punter on the Jets’ roster. The signing also reunites Darr with Adam Gase, his head coach in Miami and the modern day Jets head coach and interim general manager.
Darr earned All-Rookie Team honors from the Pro Football Writers Association in 2015. He joined the Dolphins as an undrafted free agent from Tennessee and beat out veteran leg Brandon Fields. The final 2015 tallies saw him rank third in the league in average at 47.6 yards. One year later, he tied for fifth in punts inside the opponents’ 20-yard line (32).
He was released by the Dolphins at the end of the 2017 preseason. An injury to Corey Bojorquez gave an opportunity in Buffalo last season. In five games, he averaged 40.5 yards on 20 kicks. Five landed inside the 20.
Edwards is set to return for his fourth season with the Jets. The Australia native has averaged 45.3 yards over his first three years. Last season’s average of 45.9 was good for 11th in football.
A competition for the punting job is likely in place. It is set to be overseen by special teams coordinator Brant Boyer, one of the few holdovers from last season’s coaching staff. Boyer has been with the Jets since 2016. Other incoming Jets special teamers include kicker Chandler Catanzaro. A competition will also likely ensue for the kicker and punt returner spots, vacated by the loss of Pro Bowler Andre Roberts.
