Sam Ficken holds on to his job as the New York Jets kicker, for the time being, as Brett Maher loses the kicking competition.
The New York Jets kicking competition came to a close on Monday, as the Jets cut Brett Maher to make room for Donte Moncrief.
We've signed WR Donte Moncrief and released K Brett Maher.
? https://t.co/2luWcVQRTN pic.twitter.com/9XaEdL1jJR
— New York Jets (@nyjets) August 31, 2020
That leaves Sam Ficken as the winner of the Jets lackluster kicking competition. It would be more appropriate to say that Maher is the loser. Neither kicker won the competition.
According to multiple reports, neither kicker has performed well in camp. Despite the lackluster display, general manager Joe Douglas has not made a move to bring in another kicker. One possible replacement who makes sense is Stephen Hauschka.
Hauschka has declined with age, but he’s still an upgrade over Ficken. He’s made 78.6% of his field goals and 94.8% of extra points in the last two years. Those aren’t good numbers, but they’re significantly better than Ficken’s 70.4% and 88.5% from 2019.
Hauschka’s also hit 89% of his field goals from inside 50 yards the past two years. Ficken hit just 76% on kicks inside 50 yards in 2019.
Ficken has won the Jets kicking competition for now, but that doesn’t mean his job is safe. A number of kickers are likely to get cut or become available by trade as teams prepare for Week 1.
It’s possible that Ficken keeps hold of his job heading into the season, but it’s much more likely the Jets find a suitable replacement among the rest. This is a position to keep an eye on as the season draws closer.
