Latest news with #KaiKroeger
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New York Jets sign former South Carolina football punter Kai Kroeger
After not being selected in the 2025 NFL Draft and getting seven NFL minicamp invites, South Carolina football punter Kai Kroeger was signed by the New York Jets, the team announced on May 13. In addition to signing Kroeger, the Jets released veteran punter Thomas Morstead, who had been the starter the last two seasons. Morstead has been in the NFL since 2009 and played his first 12 seasons for the New Orleans Saints. Advertisement The 6-foot-4, 213-pound Kroeger spent five seasons as South Carolina's starter and averaged 44.6 yards per punt, which is the second most in school history. Kroeger and Austin McNamara, who the Jets signed in March, are the only two punters on the roster. McNamara was 2024 undrafted free agent who signed with the Cincinnati Bengals before getting waived last summer. Kroeger had a remarkable season in 2022, highlighted by the Clemson game. He had a 63-yard punt that landed just inside the 5-yard line late in the fourth quarter, with South Carolina up 31-30. He averaged 53.7 yards on seven punts in the game with three inside the 5-yard line. He was named the SEC Special Teams Player of the Week six times during his career. Kroeger had 68 punts travel 50 plus yards, 100 punts spotted inside the 20. He is second in SEC history with 11,823 punting yards. Advertisement In 2024, he averaged a career-best 47.8-yards per punt which ranked third in the nation. Kai Kroeger's stats with South Carolina football 2024: 47.8 yards per punt, 2,248 total yards, 2,128 net yards, 18 punts inside the 20 (38.3%) 2023: 43.2 yards per punt, 2,248 total yards, 2,596 net yards, 22 punts inside the 20 (35.5%) 2022: 46.1 yards per punt, 2,675 total yards, 2,575 net yards, 29 punts inside the 20 (50%) 2021: 42.9 yards per punt, 2,534 total yards, 2,494 net yards, 22 punts inside the 20 (37.3%) 2020: 43.3 yards per punt, 1,690 yards, eight inside the 20 (20.5%) Lulu Kesin covers South Carolina athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email her at lkesin@ and follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @Lulukesin This article originally appeared on Greenville News: New York Jets sign former South Carolina punter Kai Kroeger
Associated Press
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Veteran punter Thomas Morstead released by Jets amid roster overhaul by new regime
The New York Jets released veteran punter Thomas Morstead on Tuesday after two seasons in his second stint with the team. Morstead, who turned 39 in March, is part of what has been a roster overhaul by new general manager Darren Mougey and coach Aaron Glenn since they were hired in January. Other veterans who have been released this offseason by the Jets include quarterback Aaron Rodgers, wide receiver Davante Adams and linebacker C.J. Mosley. New York also announced it signed undrafted free agent Kai Kroeger, who played five seasons at South Carolina. In a video message on his Instagram page, Morstead said he was working out at Tulane's Yulman Stadium in New Orleans and received a call from the Jets that they were moving on from him. 'Just wanted to say thank you to all the fans, all the coaches that I worked with over the past few years, the teammates,' he said. 'It's been awesome. Had a great experience. Disappointed to be moving on and disappointed how it went down, but it's just the way it goes in this business. I really appreciate everybody that's been a part of the journey. And I'm out here, getting some kicks in with my boys and just wanted to say thank you to everybody.' The Jets thanked the punter 'for everything you've done in the Green & White' in their announcement of Morstead's release on social media. Morstead was due a base salary of $2.1 million — with no guaranteed money — and set to count $3.05 million on the salary cap this season in the last year of his contract with New York. Morstead averaged 48.2 yards per punt in 34 games with the Jets the past two seasons while landing 55 kicks inside the 20-yard line. He has a career punting average of 46.8 yards in 255 games. Morstead was a fifth-round draft pick by New Orleans out of SMU in 2009 and played 12 seasons with the Saints before joining the Jets in 2021. He filled in for seven games for an injured Braden Mann before being released by New York and signing with Atlanta. Morstead played with Miami in 2022 before rejoining the Jets. Kroeger averaged 44.6 yards per punt, the second-best mark in Gamecocks history and set a school record with 265 career punts. He and Austin McNamara, who signed during the offseason, are the punters currently on the Jets' roster. ___ AP NFL:
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Broncos hosting fake punt specialist on pre-draft visit
The Denver Broncos signed punter Matt Haack to a one-year deal this week, but the team might not be done adding punters. Haack is the initial favorite to take over punter duties after the team lost Riley Dixon to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during free agency, but he could face competition. One prospect to keep an eye on is South Carolina's Kai Kroeger. The 22-year-old prospect was a two-time All-SEC punter (2022 and 2024) and a one-time All-American (2022). He has pre-draft workouts scheduled with the Tennessee Titans, Carolina Panthers and Broncos, according to Mike Uva of Kroeger spent time as a quarterback in high school and he was a big fake punt threat at South Carolina, completing 7-of-10 passing attempts for 205 yards and three touchdowns. He's got a leg, too: Kroeger averaged 44.6 yards per punt in five years with the Gamecocks, including a 47.8-yard average last fall. He is now projected a late-round or undrafted free agent prospect. Denver does not hold a seventh-round draft pick this year, but the team does have a trio of selections in the sixth round. The NFL draft will be held in Wisconsin from April 24-26. These 25 celebrities are Broncos fans This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: NFL draft: Denver Broncos host punter Kai Kroeger
