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Jets release kicker Greg Zuerlein, the latest veteran to depart in the team's youth movement

The New York Jets released kicker Greg Zuerlein on Friday, an expected move as the team continues to get younger on its revamped roster.

The 37-year-old Zuerlein spent the past three seasons with the Jets, but his spot appeared tenuous. New general manager Darren Mougey and coach Aaron Glenn have made a concerted effort to add youth to the team.

Zuerlein's release came three days after the Jets cut 39-year-old punter Thomas Morstead. New York has also moved on this season from a few other prominent veterans, including quarterback Aaron Rodgers, wide receiver Davante Adams and linebacker C.J. Mosley.

With Zuerlein gone, quarterback Tyrod Taylor, who turns 36 in August, is the oldest player on the Jets’ roster. Taylor, who's expected to back up Justin Fields, is one of only three players on New York currently in their 30s, joining long snapper Thomas Hennessy, who turns 31 next month, and wide receiver Josh Reynolds (30). Backup offensive lineman Zack Bailey turns 30 in November and wide receiver Allen Lazard is 30 in December.

The Jets will now likely have a kicking competition in training camp with Anders Carlson, who played in five games last season for New York while Zuerlein was sidelined, and Caden Davis, who was signed as an undrafted free agent last week out of Mississippi.

Zuerlein played in only eight games last season as he struggled with knee injuries that landed him on the injured reserve list twice and inconsistency, making just nine of his 15 field-goal attempts.

He was terrific for the Jets in his first two seasons in New York. In Week 13 of the 2022 season against Minnesota, Zuerlein set the franchise record with a 60-yard field goal. He also became the first Jets player to make three field goals of 50 or more yards in consecutive games, and was the third in franchise history to make two field goals of 50 or more yards in one game.

In 2023, Zuerlein had arguably the best season by a Jets kicker in franchise history, going 35 of 38 on field-goal attempts — including going 5 of 6 from 50 yards or longer. He also set the team record with 26 consecutive fields goals made.

Zuerlein spent his first eight seasons with the Rams after being a sixth-round draft pick out of Missouri Western in 2012 and was an All-Pro selection in 2017. He played two seasons in Dallas before joining the Jets in 2022.

Zuerlein has made 82.2% of his field goals in his 13 NFL seasons and converted 95.6% of his extra point tries.

The Jets signed defensive end Michael Fletcher, an undrafted free agent out of Appalachian State who was in rookie camp as a tryout, to take Zuerlein's roster spot.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

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