The Jets’ kicking competition has come to an apparent close.
Brett Maher was released on Monday with the Donte Moncrief signing becoming official. That means Sam Ficken has won the kicking competition and will be the Jets’ place kicker in 2020.
Ficken was the Jets’ kicker for all but one game in 2019. He was 19-27 on field goal attempts last season. Ficken was strong from 20-39 yards out, only missing one field goal on 10 attempts. However, beyond 40 yards is where Ficken struggled.
Ficken was 7-11 on field goals between 40-49 yards and 3-6 on field goals from 50+ yards out. His longest make last season came from 54 yards out. On extra points, Ficken was 23-26.
Ficken has bounced around the league since going undrafted out of Penn State in 2016. He spent time with Jaguars and Chiefs in 2016 and 2017 before joining the Rams from 2017-2018. In Los Angeles, he was 3-6 on field goals.
Ficken then moved on to the Seahawks and Packers in 2019 before joining the Jets after they released Kaare Vedvik following their Week 1 game.
As for Maher, he kicked in Dallas in 2018 and 2019. He was 49-66 on field goals before ultimately getting released.