Taking a look at ex-Jets special teams players in the NFL
Now that the season is over, we’ve been updating you on former Jets players, how they performed during the 2023 season and their current contractual status heading into next year. Having reviewed offensive and defensive players last week, we now wrap up with a look at special teams contributors.
As ever, this list is intended to be exhaustive, but if we missed anyone, let us know in the comments.
Kickers
Nick Folk, Tennessee Titans
Folk made an impressive 29 of 30 field goals, including a game winner against the Chargers. He did miss two extra points though, and the Titans lost both games in overtime. Folk also set a couple of NFL records during the season, including one for the most consecutive 40-yard field goals. He is out of contract.
Cairo Santos, Chicago Bears
Santos also had an impressive season as he made 35 of 38 field goals with one game winner. He also missed two extra points but was an impressive 7 of 8 from beyond 50 yards. Santos remains under contract until 2028.
Chase McLaughlin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
McLaughlin made 29 of 31 field goals and was perfect on extra points. Like Santos, he also made 7 of 8 from beyond 50, including a 57-yard game winner with five minutes left in the opener against the Vikings. McLaughlin, who also made nine of 10 kicks in the playoffs, is now a free agent.
Eddy Pineiro, Carolina Panthers
Pineiro, who missed two games due to injury, missed seven kicks on the year, including four field goals. He made 5 of 7 from beyond 50 yards. Both Panthers wins came as he made a game winner as time expired, but he missed a 59-yarder with less than two minutes to go in a three-point loss to the Bears. Pineiro remains under contract for 2024.
Brett Maher, Los Angeles Rams
Maher was released after six games, having missed six field goals and an extra point, including key misses in a game they lost and another they ultimately won in overtime. However, the Rams brought him back for the last two games of the season. He missed one more extra point but made all three of his field goals to end up 17 for 23 on the year and also made all five of his kicks in the playoffs. He is now out of contract.
Jason Myers, Seattle Seahawks
Myers missed seven field goals, although he attempted a league-high 42 and also made all 33 of his extra points. He had a game-winner against the Commanders but missed from 55 in the closing seconds of a one-point loss to the Rams. He remains under contract for 2024.
Randy Bullock, New York Giants
The Giants had to use a handful of kickers during the year due to injuries. Bullock was signed in November and lasted six games before landing on injured reserve. He made five of six field goals and all 10 of his extra points with the lone miss coming in a game the Giants won anyway. He’s now a free agent.
Matt Ammendola, Houston Texans
Ammendola was signed in November following an injury to Ka’imi Fairbairn and ultimately kicked in five games for the Texans. He made a game-winner against the Bengals in his debut, but he missed a game-tying 57-yarder late in their loss to the Jaguars. Ammendola, who made six of nine field goals and 10 of 11 extra points, is now a free agent.
Punters
Braden Mann, Philadelphia Eagles
Mann had a solid season and put up excellent raw numbers in 15 games. His gross average was 49.8 and his net average was 43.8, both of which are three yards higher than his career-high. He also put 15 of 44 kicks inside the 20 and only had one touchback. Mann is now a free agent.
Long Snappers
Patrick Scales, Chicago Bears
In his 10th NFL season and ninth with the Bears, the ever-reliable Scales snapped in all 17 games. He is now out of contract though.
Zach Triner, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Triner is also out of contract after playing in all 17 games. He tied his career high with three tackles in kick coverage.
Return Specialists
Braxton Berrios, Miami Dolphins
Berrios was solid but unspectacular on returns, as he averaged 24.5 yards per kickoff return with a long of 33, and he averaged 10.2 yards per punt return with a long of 18. This fell short of his production with the Jets.
Ty Montgomery, New England Patriots
Montgomery broke a 43-yard kickoff return and averaged 24 yards per return overall on nine attempts.
Jamison Crowder, Washington Commanders
Crowder earned NFC’s special teams player of the week recognition after a 61-yard punt return in one early-season game. However, he was ineffective in the second half of the season and ended up with an average of less than eight yards per return. He also had an embarrassing fumble against the Jets and two muffs.
Zonovan Knight, Detroit Lions
Knight had a 22-yard kickoff return on his only special teams touch before being ruled out for the season.
Kalif Raymond, Detroit Lions
The dependable Raymond averaged 11.4 yards per punt return with a longest return of 42 yards with one muff. In the postseason, he returned three punts for 17 yards and four kickoffs for 68 yards.
Greg Dortch, Arizona Cardinals
Dortch averaged 9.5 yards per punt return with a long of 49 and 21.2 yards per kickoff return with a long of 40. He also muffed one punt.
Mecole Hardman, Kansas City Chiefs
Hardman had a 50-yard punt return in his first appearance after being traded back to the Chiefs. However, his other six punt return attempts netted just 11 yards and his only kickoff return was a 14-yarder.
Godwin Igwebuike, Pittsburgh Steelers
Igwebuike returned 11 kickoffs with the Steelers, for an average of 25.6 yards per return with a longest of 36.
Other Special Teams Contributors
Despite a slow start with just one special teams tackle in the first six games, Seattle Seahawks fullback/linebacker Nick Bellore ended up making his second Pro Bowl as he ended up among the league leaders with 12 tackles in coverage.
Hpuston Texans linebacker Neville Hewitt was even more productive, as he was tied for the league lead with 14.
Also racking up special teams tackles were Baltimore Ravens linebacker Del’Shawn Phillips, who had eight (and a fumble recovery), Ty Montgomery, who had seven and Miami Dolphins defensive back Elijah Campbell with six.
Despite his return game and coverage contributions, Montgomery was waived in December after a protection screw-up led to a blocked punt.
Jacksonville Jaguars defensive back Tevaughn Campbell had a turnover when a punt bounced off him, so it was credited as a lost muff.
Finally, Cleveland Browns defensive lineman Shelby Harris blocked a field goal – against the Jets.
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