Only one starter’s seat remains unreserved on what the Jets hope becomes a long ride to the Super Bowl and glory.
A transplant from Australian rules football and a last-chancer, according to coach Rex Ryan, begin serious competition for that punting spot tonight in the preseason opener against the Texans.
Two-year apprentice T.J. Conley is the nominal starter at the top of the two-man depth chart, while Australian Chris Bryan has made it a seesaw to replace Steve Weatherford, now working for the Giants.
“At first, it was our Aussie that looked like he was in front. The last few days, it looked like Conley has come back,” Ryan said. “It’s important for T.J. because this is either make-or-break. You’re either going to do it this year or you might not ever get another chance. This is it. That one is a good battle to watch.”
The competitors agree that consistency will be the deciding factor.
“This is my third year in training camp and I’ve improved quite a bit over the last few years in consistency. The coaching staff has noticed that,” Conley said. “I’ve always been able to hit big balls, but it’s consistency that’s going to get you a job.
“Consistency has been my small advantage, but he’s a pretty good punter, too. Both of us have pretty strong legs, hang time, distance. The thing the coaches will be looking for is consistency.”
Bryan says that factor was his downfall in his move from Down Under last season, when he went through training camp with Green Bay and the start of the season with Tampa.
“As a punter, you have to be consistent, and I wasn’t. I worked on it during the off-season,” Bryan said. “It was enough of a taste to get me hungry for another chance.”
At 29, Bryan says his Australian rules days were about done, so the NFL was attractive.
“There aren’t many similarities,” Bryan said. “Our game in Australia is continuous play. The differences are so many, helmets, pads, the stop-start nature.
“The only similarity is back home [in Melbourne] we kick the ball, and here I kick the ball.”
That depends on who wins the job.