This is the ninth in a nine-part series examining the Jets’ needs position by position with free agency starting on Tuesday.
Special teams
Currently on roster
Nick Folk
Age: 29
2013 stats: 30-for-36 field goals, 27-of-27 PATs
Ryan Quigley
Age: 24
2013 stats: 72 punts, 3278 yards, 45.5 avg., 38.9 net, 21 inside the 20
Tanner Purdum
Age: 28
2013 stats: 0 bad snaps
Josh Cribbs
Age: 30
2013 stats: 20 kickoff returns, 490 yards, 8 punt returns, 96 yards
Clyde Gates
Age: 27
2013 stats: 9 kickoff returns, 209 yards
Darius Reynaud
Age: 29
2013 stats: 3 kickoff returns, 75 yards
Jeremy Kerley
Age: 25
2013 stats: 13 punt returns, 115 yards
Kyle Wilson
Age: 26
2013 stats: 4 punt returns, 13 yards
2014 free agents: Folk (franchise tag), Cribbs, Reynaud
Overview: Folk had his best season as a Jet, kicking three game-winning field goals and showing a consistency he sometimes lacked in past years.
Quigley was signed a few weeks into the season and performed well enough that he will be the favorite to keep the punter job, but expect competition in training camp.
The Jets lacked explosiveness in the return game, failing to return one for a touchdown for the first time in more than a decade. Cribbs looked close to breaking one a few times before getting injured.
The team’s lack of depth hurt the special teams units.
Offseason priority rating (1 to 5 with 5 being the highest priority): 2
Possible targets: Devin Hester, Dexter McCluster
Costello’s call: The Jets slapped the franchise tag on Folk to keep him around for another year, which was a good call. He still may get a long-term deal. He earned some security after last season.
Quigley was OK, but not great. The Jets should find someone this spring to bring in to provide some competition for him.
I doubt they will chase any premium return men. They obviously need to draft wide receivers, and maybe they can find one with some return skills.