The merry-go-round at kicker for the New York Jets has continued with Spencer Shrader elevated from the practice squad for Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals.
The circus began when longtime NFL kicker Greg Zuerlein recently had a brutal three weeks in games the Jets lost:
Week 6 vs. Buffalo
Zuerlein missed field-goal attempts from 32 and 43 yards in the 23-20 defeat. The 32-yarder was in the third quarter with the score 20-20 and when it was still tied in the fourth quarter, he missed from 43 yards.
Week 7 vs. Pittsburgh
He had a 35-yarder blocked in the third quarter with the Steelers leading 23-15. Earlier, Zuerlein had an extra point blocked with the Jets leading 13-6. It wasn’t official because the Steelers were called for a leverage penalty after which the Jets converted a 2-point conversion. Pittsburgh scored 14 points in the fourth quarter to win 37-15.
Week 8 vs. New England
With the Jets leading 16-14 in the fourth quarter, Zuerlein missed from 44 yards and they eventually lost, 25-22.
In the ensuing short week leading to a Thursday night game against Houston, he suddenly appeared on the Tuesday injury report with a left knee injury and was placed on injured reserve the day of the game.
Two days before the game, Riley Patterson and Spencer Shrader were signed to the practice squad and Patterson was signed to the active roster on the day of the game. He made all three extra points in the Jets’ 21-13 victory, but did not have a field-goal attempt.
This week, Patterson was waived Friday and Anders Carlson was signed to the practice squad the same day after a Thursday tryout. Carlson was a rookie in Green Bay in 2023, but was waived this past summer on Aug. 27. He was signed to the 49ers practice squad on Oct. 15 after Matthew Wright kicked in Week 6 because Jake Moody was injured in their game against the Cardinals. Wright was placed on injured reserve Oct. 19.
Anders was elevated from the practice squad in Weeks 7 and 8 and had field goals of 55 and 24 yards, but missed an extra point against the Chiefs and had field goals of 50, 44, 41 yards and three extra points against Dallas.
With Moody returning, Anders was released from the 49ers practice squad Tuesday, two days before his Jets tryout.
There is a Cardinals connection with Carlson. With Matt Prater bothered by a left knee injury six weeks ago, Anders had a tryout with the Cardinals on Sept. 27, the same day as Chad Ryland. We all know what’s happened since.
Shrader signed as an undrafted free agent from Notre Dame with the Colts this year and kicked in Week 1 after being elevated from the practice squad. He had three exrta points and no field-goal attempts and after that bounced on and off the practice squad four times before signing with the Jets.
Foreshadowing the decision to elevate him for Sunday’s game, interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich said Friday, “We are just looking for a live leg. So, we brought a guy in (Carlson) that’s got a live leg, that’s kicked in the NFL, and we think Spencer Shrader has a live leg, so that’s ultimately what it came down to was the strength of the leg, and Shrader kicked very well (Friday)] so I think he’ll get the nod Sunday.”
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