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A former New York Jets Pro Bowler just got paid.
NFL Insider Adam Schefter of ESPN revealed on Wednesday, January 18 that the Seattle Seahawks have extended placekicker Jason Myers on a new long-term deal.
The 31-year-old, who will turn 32 ahead of the 2023 season, now becomes the second-highest-paid kicker in the NFL only behind Baltimore Ravens star Justin Tucker. He is set to make $5.27 million per year on his new contract.
It is a four-year deal for $21.1 million but has a maximum value of $22.6 million with incentives.
Oh What Could Have Been for the Jets and Jason Myers
Jason Myers’ football career got off to a rocky start.
After going undrafted in 2013 out of Marist, he didn’t get any offers from the NFL. Instead, he had to carve out his own path originally through the Arena Football League.
In 2015 he finally got his shot in the NFL with the Jacksonville Jaguars and had a nice three-year run with the team.
However, it all came crashing down after a horrific performance in October of 2017 when he missed three kicks. The Jaguars dumped him to the curb after the game was over.
Eventually, he would find his way to the Jets when they claimed him off of waivers from the Seattle Seahawks on August 21 in 2018. They both kind of stumbled into each other and it was instant magic.
In Myers’ lone season with Gang Green he became a reliable presence and punched his first ticket to the Pro Bowl. He went 33-of-36 on field goals (91 percent conversion rate), 30-of-33 on extra points, and delivered when they needed him most.
That offseason he was set to be an unrestricted free agent and it was a massive debate in the Jets building and on social media about whether they should bring him back. Ultimately Gang Green deemed that he was a one-year wonder and didn’t want to overreact and overpay him.
Seattle who originally cut him before the Jets got its hands on him realized their mistake and locked him in during free agency. He has been on the team over the last four years and has proven to be worth every penny:
- 98-of-112 on field goals (87.5 percent conversion rate)
- 174-of-186 on extra points (93.5 percent conversion rate)
Jets Are Hoping Greg Zuerlein Finally Ends the Madness
Ever since the Jets allowed Myers to slip through their fingers, the organization has experienced the worst game of musical chairs at the kicker position of all time.
According to Jets senior reporter Randy Lange, Greg Zuerlein became the seventh different opening day kicker in the last seven years for the Jets in 2022.
I jokingly asked back on August 23 if the “seventh time” would be the charm and in all actuality it has.
Zuerlein, affectionately known as Legatron, went 30-of-37 on his field goals (81.1 percent conversion rate). Most impressive was his range on 50+ yard field goals he converted 6-of-11.
While there were certainly a few bumps in the road during the season, Zuerlein proved he should be the guy for the present and foreseeable future.
The 35-year-old is set to be an unrestricted free agent this offseason and the Jets must decide if they are willing to allow another talented kicker to slip through their fingers.
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