Jets claim Blake Grupe to be new kicker after ugly competition

The Jets landed a new kicker on Monday.The team claimed Blake Grupe off of waivers, a day after the Colts moved on from Grupe.The Jets desperately needed to address the kicking position after a lackluster competition this summer between Jason Sanders and Cade York.

Sanders ostensibly won that competition when the team cut York last week but Sanders then missed an extra point and a field goal in Friday’s preseason game with the Giants.The Jets are expected to now cut Sanders.Grupe lost a kicking competition in Indianapolis to Spencer Shrader.He went 2-for-4 in field goals in the preseason, with a long of 46 yards.

He made both extra points he tried.The former Notre Dame kicker has been in the league since 2023.He played for the Saints from 2023-25.

New Orleans released him in November of last year and then he joined the Colts and kicked five games for them.He went 29-for-37 on field goal attempts last year, but only hit 5-of-11 from 40-plus yards.

In his career, he is 86-for-105, with a long of 60 yards, on field goals and 96-for-98 on extra points.The Jets are searching for a kicker after watching Nick Folk leave for the Falcons in free agency.Folk went 28-for-29 last year with a long of 58 yards in his return to the Jets.

But the team did not re-sign him for some reason....