Tag: Braden Mann

Rams have another punter option available after Jets cut Braden Mann

The Jets cut Braden Mann after failing to trade him. Should the Rams give him a call?

The Los Angeles Rams opted not to re-sign Riley Dixon following a subpar 2022 season, allowing him to leave in free agency. He returned to the Denver Broncos and now the Rams are looking for his replacement.

With no punters currently on the roster, the Rams will need to find one sooner rather than later. The New York Jets are giving them another option after they cut Braden Mann on Thursday. That came after they attempted to trade him.

Mann was a sixth-round pick in 2020 and remained the Jets’ primary punter for the last three seasons. However, they signed Thomas Morstead this offseason, so they didn’t need to keep two punters on the roster.

He did improve from year to year, going from 43.9 yards per punt in 2020 to 46.9 this past season, but his net average remained 40.6 in the last two seasons. His tenure in New York was up-and-down in terms of pinning opponents deep, too.

He had just one touchback in 2021 but also downed only 14 punts inside the 20-yard line. Last season, he had eight touchbacks but downed 27 punts inside the 20, which tied for the 12th-most in the NFL. Dixon ranked 26th in the NFL with 19 punts inside the 20, for comparison.

The Rams aren’t desperate to find a punter yet because there’s still plenty of time before training camp, but they should consider giving Mann a shot. He’s young and should come cheap, and though there were some lowlights in New York, he has some potential.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqby8n025panb709 player_id=01eqbvhghtkmz2182d image=]

Should Bengals pursue Braden Mann after Jets cut punter?

Should the Bengals target the newest punter in free agency?

Upgrading punter is quietly one of the more notable needs for the Cincinnati Bengals this offseason.

From an outsider’s perspective though, the draft always seemed like the way the Bengals would get this done, partially because teams didn’t figure to let starter-level punters worth investing in hit the open market.

But just ahead of the draft, the New York Jets cut Braden Mann — and that’s worth looking at for the Bengals.

Mann, 25, was a sixth-rounder in 2020 who started the last three years for the Jets. The Jets apparently weren’t able to find trade partners for his services.

Over at PFF, Mann had a 76.8 grade with 29 punts downed inside the 20-yard line. Drue Chrisman, once given a chance, had a 57.5 grade with 13 punts inside the 20.

Mann was punting quite a bit more than Chrisman last year given the difference in their respective offenses, but Chrisman’s struggles really showed up in the playoffs.

The Bengals adding Mann would take a need off the board before the draft, if nothing else.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1]

Jets waive punter Braden Mann

Jets will waive punter Braden Mann

In a move that will surprise absolutely no one, the Jets will waive punter Braden Mann, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

The Jets officially announced the move Thursday.

The Jets signed Thomas Morstead to be their new punter back in March. Schefter reports the Jets tried trading Mann, but unsurprisingly, there were no takers for him, so the Jets will simply move on from him, especially after guaranteeing $1.1 million to Morstead.

Mann was a 6th-round pick for the Jets in 2020, but struggled for the most part. At best, he was average to below average. He ranked 17th in yards per punt in 2022 at 46.9 yards.

Jets Braden Mann botches kickoff against Bills

Braden Mann with the clumsiest of kickoffs

This is not putting your best foot forward if you are the New York Jets, especially when you are up against the Buffalo Bills.

Braden Mann was set to kick off to New York’s AFC East rivals and somehow lost his footing, slipped and the ball squibbed forward.

Hopefully, for fans of Gang Green, it was not an omen.

Let’s all admire this futile, yet heroic rabona onside kick attempt by the Jets

Look, we can’t all be Erik Lamela

The rabona can be a eye-catching, if oftentimes unnecessary trick to pull off. But it’s not easy, and can make even professionals look silly. Just ask David Dunn.

The move can also, as we learned this weekend, transcend sports. New York Jets punter Braden Mann brought the rabona to tackle football for his onside kick late in Sunday’s NFL game against the New England Patriots.

It didn’t exactly work.

An onside kick would seem to make sense for a potential non-soccer application of the rabona. The art of deception can be a crucial element as the defending team oftentimes is forced to guess which direction the kicker will go.

Mann may have kept the Patriots guessing until the last moment, but subterfuge only goes so far when your kick goes straight to an opposing player.

We still applaud Mann’s attempt, futile though it was. If Erik Lamela isn’t too busy, perhaps he can give Mann a future lesson.

[lawrence-related id=9022,9004,8955]

Braden Mann named Special Teams Player for Week 2

Braden Mann wins some hardware for his kicking and throwing performance against the Browns.

Braden Mann went from his lows of Week 1, including the shanked punt, to the highs of completing a pass on a fake punt and executing a successful onside kick, the first this season, in Week 2 in helping the Jets defeat the Cleveland Browns in epic fashion. His performance Sunday garnered him AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for Week 2, as awarded by the NFL on Wednesday.

It’s the first career Special Teams Player of the Week award for Mann. He also is now the third Jets punter to win the award and the first since 2015, when Ryan Quigley won in Week 9. Tom Tupa also won the award in Week 7 of the 2001 season.

The other weekly awards for Week 2 were Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa, Chiefs CB Jayson Watson, Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, Eagles CB Darius Slay and Giants K Graham Gano.

Jets cut punter Ty Long from practice squad with Braden Mann healthy among roster moves

The Jets make a couple of roster moves, bringing back a kick returner to the practice squad

With Braden Mann past his back issues from last week and able to punt (and pass) against the Browns in Week 2, the Jets released punter Ty Long from the practice squad.

In a corresponding move, the Jets brought back wide receiver and kick returner Diontae Spencer.

The Jets originally brought Long in after working out a group of punters in the aftermath of Mann’s outing in Week 1 against the Ravens along with his back injury. Now that Mann is healthy, the Jets decided they have no need for a second punter on the roster.

The Jets also worked out three players Tuesday, per Will Parkinson of the Turn on the Jets podcast. Those players were defensive back Michael Griffin, guard Adam Pankey and offensive tackle Sam Schlueter.

 

Watch: Braden Mann hits Jeff Smith to convert successful fake punt

Jets get the fake punt!

The Jets offense didn’t show much in the first quarter. But their special teams unit sure did.

The Jets converted a successful fake punt in the first quarter against the Browns as punter Braden Mann, who was dealing with back issues during the week of practice, completed a pass to wide receiver Jeff Smith to move the chains. Ironically, that gave Mann more passing yards in the first quarter than Joe Flacco (17-16).

[sendtonews_embed video_id=”ly7TKQgDWi-2245979-7498″]

Jets add competition at punter by signing Ty Long to practice squad

Braden Mann has some competition

The Jets are sort of going back to the drawing board at the punter position. After a suboptimal performance against the Ravens, including a shanked punt that went just 20 yards, Braden Mann now has some competition for the job.

Per Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network, the Jets signed Ty Long to their practice squad. The 29-year-old has played professional football for seven years. Most of his resume has come over the last three seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers. He has also spent time with Washington and Pittsburgh, as well as two seasons with the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League.

In 49 games with the Chargers, Long has punted 151 times for an average of 46.5 yards per punt. He also has some experience kicking. He went 7/9 on field goals and 9/9 on extra points in 2019.

The Jets signed Long after also working out Joseph Charlton, Jake Jullen and Michael Palardy.

Mann punted six times Sunday for an average of 42.2 yards with a long of 50 yards.

Jets special teams coach has confidence in Braden Mann

The former Texas A&M Ray Guy award winner has had an up and down start in the NFL, but his coaches believe in his ability.

Braden Mann had a stellar career as a kickoff specialist and punter at Texas A&M from 2016-2019, including a unanimous All-American selection, SEC Special Teams Player of the Year award and the Ray Guy award as a junior in 2018. He followed the 2018 season with another All-American season in 2019, and in the spring of 2020, he was drafted in the 6th round by the New York Jets.

The first two seasons of Mann’s NFL career have been up-and-down, but the Jets’ coaching staff, particularly special teams coordinator Brant Boyer still have a strong belief in the young punter.

I have high hopes for Braden. I think he’s got as much talent as anybody in the league, I really do. It’s just a matter of him putting it together and hopefully we’ll do a hell of a lot better protecting him this year.

Boyer also acknowledged the injury struggles that Mann dealt with in 2021, and pointed out that a full recovery and preparation will help Braden in 2022.

I think you’re going to see some pretty big improvement from Braden. You know you’re definitely right, when you’re out eight games and you come back with a knee brace on and everything like that, and you’re not used to punting and stuff for weeks at a time. And you’re playing two or three games of those games that he did come back he had his knee brace on and finally he got it taken off. I think you see in the last three or four games, he’s punting a lot better.

Check out the full press conference as well.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions.
Follow Joey on Twitter: @JoeyIckes

[listicle id=2218]

[listicle id=2214]

[mm-video type=playlist id=01fvdd4pnb49trk727 player_id=none image=https://aggieswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]