3 Jets impending free agents who need to be brought back
By Lior Lampert
2. The New York Jets need to keep their kicker and punter duo
If you’ve gotten this far into the article, the moral of the story is that the special teams matter, too! The Jets' special teams unit truly had an impact on the outcome of games for them last season and did their best to try and make up for the lack of consistent offensive production without their future Hall of Fame quarterback under center.
According to PFF, Jets punter Thomas Morstead ranked second in the NFL in punts pinned inside the 20-yard line (40) and 10th in yards per punt (48.8). Not to mention, Morstead led the NFL in punts (99) due to the ineptitude of the offense throughout the season. While that shouldn’t be the case with Rodgers back in the mix next season, Morstead’s ability to flip the field and put the Jets defensive unit in an advantageous position is critical. Morstead turns 38 in March but has shown no signs of slowing down.
Greg Zurelein, also known as “Greg the Leg” or “Legatron,” was the Jets' most consistent source of scoring points in 2023. His 35 made field goals were tied for second in the NFL this season, with five of those kicks coming from 50-plus yards. Zuerlein’s 92.1 field goal percentage is his most efficient rate since 2017 when he was an All-Pro with the Los Angeles Rams.