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Although NFL free agency is still a little over a month away, teams can still sign eligible players to reserve/future contracts.
On February 4, news of a former New York Jets player joining the Dallas Cowboys came through the transaction wire. Ex-NYJ kicker Chris Naggar was picked up by America’s team, per Dallas Cowboys Public Relations.
The @dallascowboys signed kicker Chris Naggar (Southern Methodist) to the Reserve/Future list on Friday.
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Brief Jets Career Ended in Preseason
New York entered the 2021 offseason with Sam Ficken as their starting kicker but GM Joe Douglas added a rookie after the draft in Naggar — a UDFA out of SMU.
The plan was to have Ficken and Naggar compete for the role. Unfortunately, neither rose to the occasion as Gang Green hoped they would.
Despite beating out Ficken initially, the Jets cut the first-year kicker after an inconsistent training camp and a missed kick during Week 1 of the NFL preseason against the New York Giants.
In the end, Matt Ammendola won the Week 1 job before being replaced by Alex Kessman later on — who only made it a week himself. At long last, the Jets found Eddy Pineiro, who went a perfect eight for eight to close out a mostly disastrous kicking campaign for the franchise.
Naggar did end up starting his first career game for the Cleveland Browns in Week 16. He made his only field goal attempt from 37 yards but went one for two on extra points.
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Big Leg, Texas Roots
It’s no surprise that Dallas is the team willing to give Naggar a second chance in 2022. The undrafted prospect was born in Arlington, Texas, and he was a Longhorn before transferring to SMU to get a shot at more playing time.
Known for his versatility and a monster leg that produced a 71-yard field goal in a hype video on social media, Naggar never quite honed his accuracy at the pro-level. He did hit 81% of kicks in college and 93.5% of extra points.
Track record aside, it sounds like the ex-Jets UDFA has a real shot in Dallas after a rough year from veteran Greg Zuerlein. Zack Kelberman of Heavy on Cowboys wrote: “Zuerlein’s consistent inconsistencies drew the ire of Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who felt the 2017 NFL scoring leader had an ‘exceptionally tough’ campaign and actively pursued his replacement prior to the team’s January playoff game against San Francisco.”
Transaction not formally processed yet, but Cowboys are signing kicker Chris Naggar (nuh-GAR) to a Reserve/Future contract, source said. Competition for Greg Zuerlein. Naggar impressed at SMU pro day last year with two FGs of 60-plus yards. Arlington native also punted in college
Cowboys beat reporter Michael Gehlken added that this move provides “competition for Greg Zuerlein.”
Naggar only took the field as a punter and a holder for Texas, but eventually got his opportunity to kick with the Mustangs his senior year. That was the secondary part of the appeal for Douglas and the Jets. Perhaps, the inexperienced special teamer was a late bloomer that could be developed — and there’s still some potential for that.
The Green & White needed a kicker in 2021, however, and that learning on the job fit was never going to work. Maybe the Cowboys will have better luck.
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Failed Ex-Jets Rookie Signs Futures Deal With Cowboys