The Mark Sanchez-Geno Smith quarterback derby has garnered most — OK, who are we kidding? — all of the headlines coming out of Jets training camp. But one competition that could stretch even closer to the regular-season opener is the battle between Nick Folk and Billy Cundiff to be the team’s kicker.
Folk, the incumbent, is coming off his best statistical season, but the staff reportedly feels he performs best when pushed. Cundiff — the definition of journeyman — was signed this offseason and is doing his best to provide competition. What will it take for Cundiff to actually win the job outright?
“I kick well: That’s it,’’ Cundiff said Thursday. “I can’t tell you what the GM is thinking, I can’t tell you what the special-teams coach is thinking, I can’t tell you what the head coach is thinking.
“But I can tell you for me, what I’m trying to do is make sure that I make a compelling enough argument where they have to think long and hard about that decision. So if I can put my best effort out there, especially in the games, then I’ll feel comfortable with wherever I stand at the end of the day.’’
Folk has kicked well in his three seasons with Gang Green, hitting 76.9 percent, 76.0 percent and 77.8 percent of his field goal tries. Last season’s was his best mark since his near-automatic first two seasons in Dallas. He even hit four field goals of 50-plus yards, and has made both of his preseason kicks from beyond 50 as well.
Though Folk might be viewed as having a slight edge, the competition is far from won.
“I’m not expecting anything. I’m just going to go take care of business [tomorrow] night [against the Giants] for what I need to do and take it from there,’’ Folk said.
“I feel pretty good. I feel like I’m kicking pretty well. They haven’t said anything. I don’t feel like they will say anything. Kind of like the quarterback competition, I think they’re letting it go as they need to until they feel comfortable making a decision. So I’m trying to keep working on my job, working on my stuff and do what I can do.’’
If Cundiff — now on his seventh team — has an edge, it’s in the kickoff department. Folk is one of the NFL’s weakest at kickoffs, while Cundiff followed a 40-touchback season in 2010 for Baltimore with a league-record 44 in 2011. Even if special teams coach Ben Kotwica doesn’t put quite the same value on kickoffs former coach Mike Westhoff did, they’re relevant.
“For me it’s fundamentals as well, just trying to make sure. … I focus on trying to get better, so the film looks the same each and every day, [that] it’s getting closer and closer to my best kicks,’’ said Cundiff., whose time in Baltimore ended after missing a 32-yard field goal try in the waning seconds of the 2011 AFC Championship Game.
He was picked up by the 49ers during last year’s playoff run as David Akers’ backup, but didn’t attempt a kick.