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Ex-New York Jets Progress Report: Part 5 - Special Teams

Nov 23, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Greg Dortch (4) celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Jacksonville Jaguars at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Now that the offseason is here, we’ve been updating you on former Jets players and how they fared elsewhere in 2025. Having looked at offensive and defensive players over the past few weeks, we’ll be concluding with a look at special teamers today.

As ever, this list is intended to be exhaustive, but if we missed anyone, let us know in the comments.

Kickers

Cairo Santos, Bears

Santos missed five field goals in 2025 but hit a game winner against the Vikings. He made all 39 of his extra point attempts including one that sent a game to overtime but his longest field goal was only 54 yards.

Chase McLaughlin, Bucs

McLaughlin missed six field goals, but he finished strong and only missed one extra point all year. He had game-winners against the Jets and Seahawks and a successful 65-yarder.

Jason Myers, Seahawks

Myers missed seven field goals in 2025 but was perfect on 48 extra points. He then made all 19 of his kicks in the postseason. He had game-winners against the Cardinals and Colts but missed a 61-yard game-winner in a loss to the Rams.

Spencer Shrader, Colts

Shrader won the Colts job and made a game-winner over the Broncos (after his long miss had been negated by a leverage penalty). He missed his first ever kick the following week and then got injured in week five and spent the rest of the season on injured reserve.

Riley Patterson, Dolphins

Patterson ended up holding down the Miami job all season as they opted to leave Jason Sanders on injured reserve. He had one game-winner for them, against Washington. In all, he made 27 of 29 field goals and 34 of 35 extra points.

Eddy Pineiro, 49ers

While he missed some time due to injuries, it was a successful season for Santos, who led the NFL in field goal percentage after making 28 of 29 attempts. Ex-Jets actually comprised four of the top five kickers in terms of field goal percentage in 2025, including Nick Folk who was obviously also a current Jet. He had game-winners over the Cardinals and Rams but did miss five extra points, including one in the playoffs.

Harrison Mevis, Rams

Mevis was a late season addition who did a solid job as he missed just one of 13 field goals in the regular season, while making all 39 of his extra points. He was also perfect on 15 postseason kicks. Mevis’ only miss was costly, though, as it was a 48-yarder with just over two minutes to go in a game the Rams ultimately lost by one in overtime to Seattle.

Greg Joseph, Raiders

Joseph did not play in 2025 but spent time on the Raiders’ practice squad. He was not retained.

Punters

Braden Mann, Eagles

Mann saw his gross numbers fall off a bit down the stretch but still ended up with a gross average of 49.9 yards per punt, which was good for 6th best in the NFL. His net dropped to 43.1 though, as his touchback percentage has been up in the past two years.

Thomas Morstead, 49ers

Morstead was one of the least effective punters in the NFL statistically. His 43.6 yards per punt gross average was his lowest since he left the Saints in 2020 and his net of 36.7 was his lowest since his rookie season.

Kai Kroeger, Saints

The undrafted rookie Kroeger was one of four NFL punters to have two punts blocked as he was slightly better than Morstead with a 44.8 yards per punt gross average and a 37.3 net.

Return Specialists

Braxton Berrios, Texans

Berrios missed some time due to injury, lost the punt return role to Jaylin Noel and ultimately only returned three kickoffs and three punts all season.

Kalif Raymond, Lions

Raymond had a 65-yard punt return for a touchdown but ended up with an average of just 7.5 yards per return. He averaged just under 27 yards on six kickoffs.

Greg Dortch, Cardinals

Dortch didn’t have a return of over 40 yards all year but was extremely consistent with a kickoff return average of over 26 yards per return and a career-high punt return average of 11.6.

Brandon Codrington, Bills

Codrington was let go by the Bills after losing his job and is now on a futures deal with the Texans. He averaged less than six yards per punt return with one fumble. Despite being slightly better on kickoffs with a 26.8 yards per return average, Ty Johnson ended up with that role.

Malachi Corley, Browns

Corley saw extensive work on kickoff returns and averaged 23.4 yards per return with a long of 37.

Raheem Mostert, Raiders

Mostert was leading the league for kickoff return average, but ended up in fourth place with a 29.3 yards per return average. He had two returns of over 50 yards in one game against the Jaguars.

Mecole Hardman, Bills

Hardman only saw brief action on returns with three total runbacks but did break one kickoff return for 61 yards.

Ty Johnson, Bills

Johnson took over from Codrington but his performance was unremarkable as he averaged less than 22 yards per return on 11 runbacks with a long of 31.

Xavier Gipson, Eagles

After being cut by the Jets, Gipson didn’t last long with Philadelphia as he fumbled on two of his 13 returns. He averaged 11 yards on punts and 25 on kickoffs. Gipson ended up with the Giants but did not return kicks with them.

Other Special Teams Contributors

The top ex-Jets special teams contributor in terms of kick coverage was definitely Chargers linebacker Del’Shawn Phillips, who led the league with 24 special teams tackles. This was twice as many as any other ex-Jet.

Seattle’s Chazz Surratt and Zaire Barnes of the Giants had 11 each, which Barnes’ teammate Neville Hewitt racked up 12. Washington’s Nick Bellore and Carolina’s Claud Cherelus were also productive.

Non-linebackers who have had some production include Chiefs wide receiver Jason Brownlee and Steelers safety Chuck Clark, with three and five tackles respectively.

Zach Triner was the only ex-Jets long snapper to see action as he played in one game with the Commanders having also been on Atlanta’s practice squad.

Finally, Browns defensive tackle Shelby Harris and Commanders defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw each blocked a field goal. However, the biggest blocked field goal of the season by an ex-Jets was the one by Leonard Taylor III that basically sent New England to the Super Bowl.

Read full story at Yahoo Sport →