The Jets’ kicking derby just got a little more crowded.
With under two weeks left before the 2026 regular season opens, New York has added Joshua Karty to the mix with a workout, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. That means there are now three kickers in the picture for the Jets’ starting job.
Karty is a free agent after spending the last two seasons with the Rams, and his resume comes with plenty of both upside and baggage. The 24-year-old was a sixth-round pick by Los Angeles in 2024 and appeared in 25 games over two seasons. In that span, he connected on 79.6% of his field goal tries and 88.7% of his extra points.
He’s been strong from long range - Karty is 7 for 9 on kicks from 50 yards and beyond, with a long of 58 - but the short game has been a problem. He has missed two attempts from under 30 yards, three from 30 to 39 yards, and three more from 40 to 49 yards.
His workout comes after a messy stretch for the Jets’ existing competition. New York had already named Jason Sanders the winner of the kicking battle early last week, but that didn’t stick for long. Sanders struggled in practice and then missed two kicks in the preseason finale, which led the Jets to release him and bring him back on the practice squad.
To fill the vacancy on the active roster, the Jets claimed Blake Grupe off waivers from the Indianapolis Colts.
That leaves Grupe and Sanders still battling for the Week 1 job. If Sanders comes out on top, the Jets can release Grupe and promote Sanders to the active roster. If Grupe wins the job, the Jets can simply keep the roster as it is.
Now Karty is in the conversation too, giving the Jets one more option as they try to settle on a kicker before the season starts.
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