The New York Jets made a bold move to fix their kicking problems just before the season starts. They claimed Blake Grupe off waivers using the No. 2 spot on the waiver wire priority list, according to reports. This decision comes after the team cut veteran Jason Sanders, who quickly re-signed to the practice squad to work on his struggles. Throughout this offseason, the front office tried multiple unsuccessful kicking options such as Younghoe Koo, Will Ferrin, Cade York, and Lenny Krieg. Now the pressure is on Grupe to stop the bleeding.
A Track Record of Misses
It’s hard to feel confident about this pick given the numbers. His NFL career has lacked reliability as a kicker, which is why Grupe remained available in late August. According to reports, he made 75 of 94 attempts in 45 games across the prior three seasons with the New Orleans Saints. That 79.8% success rate isn’t the kind of floor you want for a team trying to win games. Preseason performance was inconsistent, as he went 2-for-4 while missing from the 30-39 yard range and from distances over 50 yards. Those misses in camp are a bad sign for a position that often decides close games, especially when you consider how many times a single kick can shift momentum in a tight contest.
Can He Turn a Corner?
There is a small glimmer of hope if you look at his time with the Indianapolis Colts in 2025. The former Notre Dame kicker went a perfect 11-for-11 for that team, Jets Wire reported. That perfect stretch suggests he might be capable of finding a groove, but one good season does not erase years of inconsistency. Letting Nick Folk depart this offseason led to the Jets totally mismanaging the kicker position and creating this mess initially. Now they are hoping Grupe can rescue defensive coordinator Darren Mougey from the fallout of these kicking woes. If the Jets’ defense holds the line, they’ll need every bit of offensive efficiency to keep scoring.
The team has plenty of offensive weapons like Breece Hall and Garrett Wilson to score points, but they can’t afford to leave points on the field. If Grupe cannot make the easy kicks, all that talent will not matter. Although the Jets are not yet a major threat, opponents must not overlook them if they correct their special teams. We’ll see if Grupe can fix this issue when the regular season begins, and the answer to that question will define the early part of the 2026 NFL season for this squad.
