The New York Jets have largely set their roster for the start of the 2026 campaign, but there are still moves that the front office is making. Teams across the league are still setting their practice squads, while also fine-tuning some of the weaker spots on their 53-man rosters. For the Jets, the kicker position remains a spot that the team is concerned with.
New York seemingly found its starting kicker when it claimed Blake Grupe on waivers earlier this week, but considering how he was only available because he got released by the Indianapolis Colts, he isn’t exactly the safest option around right now. The Jets have continued looking for another option behind Grupe in the event he struggles, which has led them to former Los Angeles Rams kicker Joshua Karty.
Jets Bring in Joshua Kart for a Workout
Karty was selected by the Rams in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, with the hope being that he could become their long-term answer at the kicker position. As a rookie, Karty managed to hold his own, hitting 29 of his 34 field goal attempts and 32 of his 36 extra-point attempts. It was clear, however, that the team had higher hopes for him.
Unfortunately, Karty regressed dramatically in 2025, as he hit just 10 of his 15 field goal attempts and 23 of his 26 extra-point attempts in eight games of work. The Rams decided midway through the season to replace Karty with Harrison Mevis, and ever since then, Karty has been trying to find a new home for himself.
The addition of Grupe seemed to indicate New York was no longer in the market for a kicker, but that isn’t the case. The Jets still want to have a competition of sorts for their kicker job, which led them to bring Karty to town for a workout on Wednesday. No deal has been agreed upon, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him get signed to the team’s practice squad in the near future.
Free agent kicker Joshua Karty, who has kicked the last two seasons for the Rams, is working out for the Jets today,” Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported in a post on X.
Should the Jets Sign Joshua Karty?
Karty is only a couple of years removed from being drafted, so while he has struggled early in his career, he still has the potential to become a consistent special teamer. In 2025, which he split with the New Orleans Saints and Colts, Grupe only hit 78.4% of his field goal attempts, so there is no guarantee that he will pan out for the Jets.
There’s no space for two kickers on the 53-man roster, which means if Karty were to find his way to New York, it would be as an emergency option on the practice squad. If there’s interest between the two sides, it would certainly make sense to bring Karty to town, but for the time being at least, Grupe appears to be the Jets’ starter at the kicker position.
Jets Eyeing Former Rams Kicker in Free Agency After Claiming Blake Grupe