Jets Signing Two Kickers To Practice Squad

October 30, 2024

The New York Jets are signing kickers Riley Patterson and Spencer Shrader to the practice squad, per Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo.

One of them will kick for the team on Thursday night against the Texans in lieu of veteran K Greg Zuerlein, who’s struggled this season.

However, Pelissero says the Jets aren’t releasing Zuerlein yet and will give him a little more time to recuperate a knee injury.

Patterson and Shrader were among six kickers who tried out for the team today and yesterday.

Shrader, 25, signed with Indianapolis as an UDFA out of Notre Dame following the 2024 NFL Draft. The Colts waived him after camp before bringing him back on the practice squad and he’s bounced on and off the unit this season.

In his collegiate career, Shrader appeared in 57 games for South Florida and Notre Dame where he made 43 of his 63 field goals (68.3 percent) and 61 of 62 extra point attempts (98.7 percent).

In 2024, Shrader has appeared in one game for the Colts, converting all three of his extra-point attempts.

Patterson, 24, wound up going undrafted out of Memphis back in 2021. He later signed a rookie contract with the Vikings but was waived coming out of the preseason.

The Patriots later signed Patterson to their practice squad before the Lions added him to their active roster in late November. Detroit waived him at the start of the 2022 season and he was later claimed by the Jaguars.

Jacksonville had re-signed Patterson as an exclusive rights free agent this offseason but traded him to the Lions in May. He kicked most of the season for Detroit before being released and catching on with the Browns as an injury replacement.

From there, the Jaguars signed Patterson to a futures contract this offseason. Jacksonville waived him in July and he was later claimed by the Commanders. However, Washington let him go in August.

In 2023, Patterson appeared in 15 games for the Browns and Lions, coverting 15 of 17 field goal attempts (88.2 percent) to go along with 35 of 37 extra point tries (94.6 percent).