Kaare Vedvik’s debut for the New York Jets didn’t go as planned.
Signed off the street at the beginning of the month, the 25-year-old left four vital points on the table in the Jets’ 17-16 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.
The Norwegian missed an extra point following CJ Mosley’s first-quarter pick-six on Josh Allen before shanking a 45-yard field goal attempt just before halftime.
In his defense, the hold from Lachlan Edwards on the missed field goal was not a good one as he struggled to handle a low snap.
Vedvik also did not have an opportunity to practice on the turf at MetLife Stadium after the venue hosted an international soccer friendly between the United States and Mexico.
Regardless, it continues the maddening trend of the Jets coming up lame on their kicking search.
After parting ways with Pro Bowler Jason Myers, who signed with the Seahawks, the Jets got nothing from Chandler Catanzaro and Taylor Bertolet during the preseason.
It was so bad that Catanzaro decided to retire, forcing the Jets to sign Taylor Bertolet, who last kicked for the now-defunct Alliance of American Football.
Bertolet didn’t last long as the acquisition of Vedvik prompted his release.
It’s safe to say that Vedvik’s leash is an extremely short one as the Jets are reportedly looking for an upgrade.
CBS’ Jason La Canfora reported that the Jets will hold a tryout for kickers on Tuesday to part ways with Vedvik.
“We just have to get better,” Jets head coach Adam Gase said after Sunday’s loss. “We have to make extra points. We have to make field goals. We can’t be losing points in those areas of the field.”
The free-agent market does have several familiar faces that could be brought in as a quick fix.
Sebastian Janikowski, Kai Forbath, and former Jet Mike Nugent hold extensive experience kicking in the NFL, amongst others.
An unlikely name to keep an eye on is US women’s soccer star, Carli Lloyd. The 37-year-old Olympic and World Cup champion has received multiple offers to kick in the NFL. However, she said that she could pursue such an opportunity in 2020.
Lloyd showed some big-time NFL promise when she nailed a 55-yard field goal during a joint practice with the Philadelphia Eagles and Baltimore Ravens last month.
