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.
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