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Earlier this week, the Jets claimed a couple of players on waivers: placekicker Blake Grupe and linebacker Trevin Wallace.
Grupe will compete with Jason Sanders for the kicking job.
Here is some info on Grupe from a Jets press release:
“An undrafted free agent who began his college career at Arkansas State and ended at Notre Dame, Grupe signed with the New Orleans Saints following the 2023 NFL Draft. Appearing in 45 games for the Saints from 2023-25, Grupe connected on 75-of-94 field goal attempts (79.8%) and was 86-of-88 on point-after attempts. In New Orleans, Grupe was 15-of-23 on field goal attempts longer than 50 yards and had a long of 57 yards.
“Last season in New Orleans, Grupe was 18-of-26 on field goal attempts before he was released by the Saints on Nov. 25. In 50 career games, Grupe has converted on 81.9% (86-of-109) of his field goal attempts and 98% of his extra points (96-of-98).”
Grupe was in Indianapolis Colts camp this summer, but the team chose to go with fellow Golden Domer Spencer Shrader instead.
Look, Myers and Grupe have been solid kickers in the NFL, not elite, but solid. However, the Jets’ current kicking merry-go-round could perhaps have been avoided by just re-signing Nick Folk, who made 28-29 kicks for the Jets last year, but they let him walk, and he signed with Atlanta.
“Folk wanted to remain in New York,” wrote ESPN’s Rich Cimini in the spring. “The Jets, mindful of his age (41), offered a one-year contract. No word on the amount, but it probably was similar to what he made last season on a one-year deal ($3.25 million, including incentives). The Falcons offered two years, $9 million, about half of which is guaranteed.”
Some might wonder why a two-year deal for $9 million (with $4 million guaranteed) is considered crazy money, in some quarters, for an incredibly consistent kicker. If you were willing to pay Justin Fields and Jamien Sherwood $30 million guaranteed in deals last year, why is $4 million guaranteed for an excellent placekicker a big deal, regardless of his age?
Hard to give you much insight here, because I’m not sure Aaron Glenn and Darren Mougey have been asked in a press conference why they didn’t re-sign Folk, unless I missed it. The media market has changed.
As for Wallace, not sure how much he’s going to help the Jets on defense. He will certainly help them on special teams.
Here is the issue with Wallace: a 2024 third-round pick of the Carolina Panthers.
“Play recognition and football instincts are lacking,” wrote draft expert Lance Zierlein before the 2024 draft when Wallace was coming out of Kentucky.
We have written over and over the last two years that the Jets need to improve their instincts at linebacker.
Certainly Demario Davis will help in this area, but who else?
Not Wallace.
Wallace is a fast run-and-hit linebacker at 6-1, 237 pounds with 4.51 speed, but let’s not forget that the Panthers GM Dan Morgan was a very good linebacker in the NFL with great instincts. So he certainly knows how to judge this position on a high level, and he moved on from the player after a couple of seasons.
Former Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechley, who is now part of their broadcast team, was just inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was the most instinctive linebacker I’ve ever seen. At that position, instincts are huge.
Who cares if you run 4.51, but you have rough instincts that put you out of position too often?
“Frequently fooled by misdirection in both run and pass games,” wrote Zielein about Wallace.
Don’t really get this claim. Don’t instincts matter?
Love the work of Darren Mougey this off-season at most positions, but that linebacker room, aside from Davis, is loaded with question marks.
September 4, 2026
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