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October 13, 2026 at 3:11 pm #166861
znModeratorMike Garafolo@MikeGarafolo
A kicker change for the #Rams: They’re releasing Harrison Mevis and signing Blake Grupe off the #Jets’ practice squad, sources tell me and @RapSheet. A move at the position after last night’s overtime blocked field goal.October 13, 2026 at 3:15 pm #166862znModeratorScouting Jets kicker Blake Grupe
Taking a look at the latest Jets kickerby Bent Double
Sep 17, 2026, 2:30 PM EDThttps://www.ganggreennation.com/new-york-jets-analysis/96571/scouting-jets-kicker-blake-grupe
After final cuts, the Jets claimed a few players, including kicker Blake Grupe. Despite being on the 53-man roster, Grupe was inactive for the team’s opener, as Jason Sanders was elevated from the practice squad and handled the kicking duties, but he may get an opportunity in due course. Today we take a look at Grupe in more detail.
The 27-year old Grupe is listed at 5’7” and 156 pounds and was undrafted out of Notre Dame in 2023. Having won the Saints’ job as a rookie, he kicked for them for two and a half seasons before being released in November, then ended last season with the Colts but failed to win their placekicker role in training camp.
Grupe was originally a walk-on at Arkansas State, having been unranked as a high school recruit. He redshirted his first season in 2017, but then took over as the team’s kicker early in the 2018 season.
Having made 14 of 21 field goals in his first season, Grupe showed a dramatic improvement in 2019 and was named as an all-Sun Belt Conference first teamer after making 19 out of 22 field goal attempts.
He was just 11 of 18 in 2020 but bounced back to make 20 of 25 in 2021, earning second-team all-conference recognition.
Ahead of the 2022 season, Grupe transferred to Notre Dame and he made 14 of 19 field goals for them, but was perfect on 49 extra points.
Grupe’s NFL career began as he was picked up by the Saints as an undrafted free agent and made a game-winning kick in his first ever preseason game. He built on that to win the kicker job and had a solid first season that saw him make 30 of 37 field goals and all 40 of his extra points.
In 2024, he had another good year as he made 27 of 31 field goals, although he did also miss two extra points.
Last season didn’t go so well for Grupe initially, as he missed eight field goals in the first 12 games and was released by the Saints in November. However, the Colts claimed him following an injury to Spencer Shrader and he excelled down the stretch as he was 11 of 11 on field goals and 10 for 10 on extra points over the last five games.
He was hoping to hold onto the job in preseason but missed a couple of kicks, including a 36-yarder.
The Jets claimed Grupe off waivers following final cuts, after the Colts had opted to stick with Shrader as their full-time kicker.
Now let’s break Grupe down in a variety of categories, based on in-depth research and film study.
Measurables/Athleticism
Grupe is the smallest kicker in the NFL based on listed weight and there are only currently two players in the league who have a lower listed weight than he does. He did not work out at his pro day.
In high school, Grupe played soccer and baseball.
Leg Strength
Despite his diminutive size, Grupe has good power, and has creditable numbers of 19 made field goals on 27 attempts from beyond 50 yards.
He has made a 60-yard field goal at the NFL level and it should have been a game-winner but the Colts’ defense gave up a late score to lose.
Grupe’s leg strength on kickoffs is difficult to judge. As a rookie, he put up some of the best numbers in the NFL on kickoff metrics, with 76 touchbacks on 85 attempts.
However, the change in rules has not been good to him as his numbers dropped precipitously in his second season and were among the worst in the league last year.
This may not reflect on his leg strength, though. Perhaps he has been instructed to lay his kicks short of the end zone and his coverage units haven’t been pulling their weight.
If this is a concern, punter Austin McNamara could kick off instead, as he was continuing to work on this in camp, having done it at times last year.
Accuracy
With an 82 percent success rate on field goals at the NFL level, Grupe has hit the all-important 80-percent benchmark in his career so far. However, he’s been a little inconsistent and streaky with that.
2025 in particular was a tale of two seasons for Grupe, who missed 6 of 11 kicks from beyond 40 with the Saints to lose his job, but then was perfect on 21 kicks in five games with the Colts.
In college, he was below 80 percent overall and only exceeded 80 percent in one of his five seasons.
Clutch
As noted above, Grupe had a game-winner in his first ever preseason game and hit a go-ahead 60-yarder in a game with the Colts, albeit that this ended up being a loss.
Otherwise, he hasn’t had a lot of significant success in clutch situations. He had a 42-yard game-winner with 77 seconds on the clock in a 2021 game, hit a game-winning extra point with 32 seconds left in a 2019 win over Coastal Carolina and made an overtime field goal in 2018, although again this ended up being a loss.
His first three games at the NFL level were all high pressure situations as each was decided by three points or less. He handled the pressure well initially but missed a key go-ahead field goal attempt in week three.
He also missed a 48-yarder as time-expired as Arkansas State lost their season finale 24-22 to Texas State in 2021.
Tackling
Grupe only had one tackle in his college career, but has been credited with three at the NFL level. However, his lack of size is detrimental in this area.
Intangibles/Miscellaneous
Grupe has shown good character to start off as a college walk-on and then win a couple of kicking competitions. He was respected in New Orleans for his ability to bounce back from tough stretches and was even named as a team captain.
He was good academically, finishing his degree in the spring before his redshirt junior season and then moving on to do a masters. He was a two-time member of the Arkansas State athletic director’s honor roll and was an academic all-district 6 selection in 2020.
He has limited experience of kicking in cold weather climates at the NFL level, although a couple of his 2025 games were in heavy rain and windy conditions and he mostly fared well under these conditions.
Grupe hasn’t had major injury issues during his NFL career but did deal with a minor groin issue during his rookie season.
Over the course of his NFL career, Grupe has been a teammate of several current Jets: Demario Davis, Adonai Mitchell, Kene Nwangwu and Jack Heflin.
Grupe has never punted at the NFL, college or high school level and has yet to be involved in a fake field goal.
Conclusions
For now, the Jets seem to prefer Sanders, despite his preseason struggles and an embarrassing miss in the opener. Aside from that miss, Sanders did a good job, but the Jets won’t tolerate too many more mistakes before they give Grupe a shot instead, assuming Grupe is kicking well in practice. An inflection point may come after week three, at which point the option of elevating Sanders from the practice squad may have been fully exhausted.
Grupe has some good leg talent, and a decent track record, but we’ve seen recently how difficult it is to get someone you know you can rely on.
In light of their recent history, it seems unlikely the Jets will stick with Sanders all year, so Grupe should get a chance at some point but we’ll have to wait and see. If he does, hopefully we get the 2025 Colts version and not the 2025 Saints version.
October 13, 2026 at 3:41 pm #166864
ZooeyModeratorOkay, but it’s the coverage units and the OL blocking that are the biggest problems, imo.
October 13, 2026 at 4:14 pm #166865
wvParticipantEnh. Too late in the year to get a topnotch NFL kicker. Grupe sounds like a mediocre bottom-tier kicker.
Which, apparently, will be an improvement. Possibly. Though, he doesnt sound any different than the last kicker, to me. I think this is just change to make a change. Optics, partly. Desperation, partly.
I dont believe the general problem can be solved mid-season. They can tinker around some, and maybe they can move up from 32nd to 25th. Which would be nice. I guess.
w
vOctober 13, 2026 at 8:15 pm #166874znModeratorHoldenCantor@HoldenCantor
Blake Grupe did not miss for the Colts last season, their original kicker Spencer Shrader got healthy and that’s why he’s no longer there.
October 13, 2026 at 9:29 pm #166881znModeratortrey wingo@wingoz
Under Sean McVay, the Rams have used 10 kickers since he became the head coach in 2017… 10! They also had 81 missed or blocked kicks since then third most in the NFL. It seems there might be a procedural issue as well as kicking issues here.October 13, 2026 at 9:42 pm #166884znModeratorI’ve been the TE on FG protection. It’s a difficult ass job. Watch the 3rd Bills rusher from the right and how he “hooks” the facemask with his elbow. A savvy way to hold the TE that won’t be flagged. https://t.co/Efa1rNobaP
— marshall newhouse (@MNewhouse73) October 13, 2026
October 14, 2026 at 12:19 pm #166905znModeratorJackson Durham@JDurham_FBall
I get frustrated with the Rams defense, especially on the ground, coming out of Monday night’s lossBut the amount of people insisting that Shula is the reason the Rams lost is just wildly inaccurate in my opinion
Special teams is easily the most directly responsible for the loss, 6 points lost off missed or blocked field goals and 3 handed right to Buffalo on a 70-yard kick return, despite your defense holding them to a 3 and out
That was inexcusable and it will lose you a game like that against a team like the Bills every time
‘
RAMS ON FILM@RamsOnFilm
Sure, the Mevis release is necessary. But this is not the bigger picture here – Coach McVay has proven since the loss of INHERITED coach Bones Fassel (and his solid core of personnel), that he has an absolute inability to assess & hire a competent coordinator/correct personnelHis lack of care of a returner dates back to when he would simply have Kupp fair catch the ball for almost 2 seasons. The uncanny amount of blocked kicks/punts is beyond sheer bad luck. McVay is an all time great but his faults on special teams are solely on his coordination
He asses, he hires, he signs the players, he makes the decisions on practice time spent etc. It has lost us crucial games for years. Maybe even a Super Bowl last year. Not just kicking aspect, all of the above. This starts with coach. Is he aware of this?
October 14, 2026 at 5:15 pm #166912znModerator1st & Tuna@1standtuna
This is from an exceptionally compounding issue since 2024. McVay has dedicated the least amount of time and resources to special teams.The hiring of Ventrone and allowing him to bring in his own people like you mentioned are actually signs of change needed in the right direction we’re asking for.
Not saying it’s enough yet nor do I think McVay believes it is either. But objectively, that was the intention.
October 14, 2026 at 5:24 pm #166914znModeratorHARRISON MEVIS IS THE RAMS' OVERTIME HERO! DOWN GO THE BEARS! THE RAMS ARE ADVANCING TO THE NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME! 😱 pic.twitter.com/yf7Hw8p2ub
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 19, 2026
October 15, 2026 at 6:43 am #166925znModerator1st & Tuna@1standtuna
I think to help improve the Rams STs, they might consider looking at improving spots in coverage & protection.There’s a few guys on Monday’s film that were making consistent mistakes:
🔻Not being able to shed a blocker in coverage once engaged
🔻Poor angles, running self out of play entirely
🔻As a blocker, base is knocked back as far as 5-6 yards into the return path on a given play
🔻Poor angle as a blocker, whiffing and letting a free runner stop a return
🔻EffortJust wasn’t good enough overall and doesn’t meet the eye test when you watch the top units currently.
October 17, 2026 at 9:53 am #166969ZooeyModeratorHow the Rams are trying to ‘eliminate bad football’ and fix special teams
By Nate Atkins
LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Rams special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone knows what he needs to fix.
“Eliminate bad football,” Ventrone said.
He knows his units have had some of that.
“Bill Belichick would always say, ‘Let’s eliminate the bad football. Let’s stop from losing,’” said Ventrone, who played and coached special teams under Belichick with the New England Patriots. “When we can all put it together and play collectively as a unit, I feel like the results have been good. We just have to get back to no self-inflicted wounds to a certain degree.”
Ventrone was hired this offseason to improve a special teams unit that cost the Rams in nearly all six of their losses last season, including the NFC Championship Game defeat to the Seattle Seahawks in which Xavier Smith muffed two punts. Ventrone’s track record had mixed results. Ventrone’s units with the Cleveland Browns struggled at times with punts and coverage, while his Indianapolis Colts units created splash plays and produced multiple All-Pro players.
Through five games in Los Angeles, his units have combined for a concerning product: The Rams rank last in the NFL in special teams DVOA, which measures units against the league average. With a DVOA of minus 15.3 percent, the Rams are on pace to be the worst special teams unit in the history of DVOA rankings. Though those numbers stabilize over the course of a season, their rating is the 11th-worst through the first five games of a season since 1977.
The Rams have replaced two starters in just the past three weeks, releasing punt returner Smith and cutting kicker Harrison Mevis. They have allowed an explosive kick or punt return in three straight games, including a 70-yard kick return to the Buffalo Bills on Monday night in which Jaylen McCollough left his gap early and created a sideline lane.
“I think it comes down to the fundamentals and the techniques that we’re coaching and applying them to the next rep,” Ventrone said. “We open the game, and we don’t execute the kick well enough. We don’t play a technique right from a certain position. Next thing you know, you’re giving up an explosive return to start the game. We come back, we correct it, and now we’re tackling everything inside the 35-yard line. Then we make a few decent plays on that phase.
“I think it’s being able to get on top of it early and just be consistent with what we’re doing schematically.”
How special teams veered off course again
It’s still early, but this is not how this season was supposed to go.The Rams hired Ventrone because they were drawn to his energy and ability to teach fundamentals. They wanted to give him some familiarity, so they hired his assistant from the Browns, Kyle Hoke, and signed long snapper Joe Cardona and coverage player Grant Stuard, both of whom Ventrone has coached before.
They then moved special teams to the start of practice and began playing offensive and defensive starters on those units. The idea was to put greater emphasis on special teams and not have them feel like an afterthought. Coach Sean McVay believes that part has carried over.
“You have a lot of moving parts because when you get injured on defense and offense, it has a trickle-down effect,” McVay said. “The attention, the sense of urgency, I’ve been very appreciative of that. I think then you’re just continuing to figure it out. Obviously, we didn’t want to have to make some of those changes, but we felt like it was the best thing for us. … I think you lean into the process, and I have seen the intentionality from the group that I’m looking for.”
The performance hasn’t reflected it, and as the Rams look to correct a weakness to climb out of a 2-3 hole, they’re forced to reckon with a question: Is the issue the system and the coaching, the lineup or a mix of both?
Their words and actions suggest they see it as more of a roster issue. They have already released two starters in Smith and Mevis and replaced them with return man Alex Bachman and, from the New York Jets’ practice squad, kicker Blake Grupe. Both players joined the roster in the past two months.
The Rams signed two of Ventrone’s trusted veterans this spring in Cardona and Stuard, but they chose not to select any players with special teams backgrounds with their five draft picks. That went against the model the Colts used to build Ventrone’s best units, when they involved him in the scouting and selection process for players such as Ashton Dulin, Zaire Franklin, Bobby Okereke and EJ Speed, who began their careers on special teams before developing into offensive or defensive starters.
It continued Rams general manager Les Snead’s trend of drafting for future offensive or defensive roles rather than for immediate special teams contributions. Last year, the Rams traded up in the fourth round to select running back Jarquez Hunter. He played 22 special teams snaps as a rookie before the Rams traded him this preseason.
“A lot of the players that we’ve been using have been on the roster,” Ventrone said, while acknowledging that Stuard and Cardona have been helpful additions.
Still, the Rams believe in Ventrone’s ability to work through adversity and develop the unit. Unprompted, McVay said this week the Rams will not make coaching changes.
It’s notable that the only other assistant on staff who could take over amid a change would be Hoke, Ventrone’s personal assistant. That differs from last season, when the Rams fired coordinator Chase Blackburn after a late-season loss to the Seahawks and promoted Ben Kotwica, who had been a lead coordinator with the Denver Broncos and Atlanta Falcons. The change improved some issues such as penalties, but the playoffs still featured lowlights, including a blocked punt against the Carolina Panthers and Smith’s two muffed punts against the Seahawks.
Last season was a window into how difficult it is to overhaul an area such as special teams once a season has begun. Special teams reflect a roster’s overall construction and depth, and there are too many impacts across four different core units for one or two transactions to dramatically fix the group.
Can the Rams fix this?
Right now, the Rams are looking for whatever in-season solutions they can find.They signed Grupe because of his demonstrated accuracy from under 40 yards, which is over 90 percent. His accuracy from more than 40 yards is just 73 percent. If that trend sticks, it could allow McVay to strategize on when to let Grupe kick versus going for it on fourth down or punting when at a trickier range.
It’s also possible that Grupe, who is 27, is still improving. Last season as a fill-in with the Colts, Grupe was 4-for-4 from beyond 50 yards and 11-for-11 on field goals overall.
“Those six weeks in Indy were big for me, big for my career,” Grupe said. “I was able to get the ball rolling and show what I could do.”
The signing of Grupe and the elevation of Bachman, a career practice squad player, show the Rams are erring on the side of predictability from veterans over potential upside from newbies. That’s also a reflection of the current options outside the building. Great kickers and return men aren’t often looking for jobs in October, and the league is still a week or two away from when struggling teams tend to sell off pieces ahead of the trade deadline, which this season is Nov. 10.
As that date approaches, the Rams could look to swing a trade. They saw the model up close and painfully last season. The Seahawks traded fourth- and fifth-round draft picks for Rashid Shaheed, an electric return man whose 58-yard punt return touchdown against the Rams helped erase a 16-point deficit. That play helped push the Seahawks to the Super Bowl and contributed to Los Angeles firing Blackburn days later.
The Rams have time on their side, potentially. Though 2-3, they have a five-game stretch coming against the Arizona Cardinals twice, the Las Vegas Raiders, the Los Angeles Chargers and the Washington Commanders. The Rams will likely be heavy favorites in every game. If they perform at that level, they could work through the sort of special teams mistakes that played into last-second losses to the Broncos and Bills.
Elsewhere, the Rams have enough to believe in themselves as a Super Bowl contender. Matthew Stafford has turned it on over the past five quarters with the return of Puka Nacua, who has 26 catches in the past two games. Running back Kyren Williams is enjoying his best season to date. The defense ranks third in yards allowed and expects to get Myles Garrett back before long.
But they know from last season that they must find a way to improve their third phase if they want to play in another Super Bowl at their home stadium this season.
“Last year and this year, they’re different, but there is a sense of urgency of being able to really fix and have more consistent production from a unit that the majority of the points go through,” McVay said.
“… Let’s have solutions and let’s give our players a chance to be able to have 11-as-one executed in each phase as consistently as possible. That’s what we’re going to keep striving for, and I’m hopeful that it does happen so I don’t have to keep talking about it with you.”
October 26, 2026 at 7:02 pm #167168znModeratorKickoff coverage falls short again
While new kicker Brandon McManus had an uneventful first game with the Rams, making all five of his extra points in Sunday’s 35-21 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, the Rams’ special teams still proved vexing for McVay. Specifically, the kickoff coverage unit.
On the game’s opening kickoff, Dylan Laube returned the ball 36 yards to the Raiders 38. Laube took the Rams’ second kickoff 42 yards to midfield before McManus kicked four touchbacks to end the game.
Kickoff coverage has been an issue for the Rams all season. Through the first six weeks, McVay and special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone both pointed to individual lapses in execution for why teams had gotten good returns. McVay said the explanation for what happened against the Raiders didn’t go any deeper than that.
“No, it was the same,” McVay said. “It was not good enough and we’ve talked about this a lot and it’s just got to get fixed. It’s not good enough and we cannot allow ourselves to do that. That was a great return unit that we were going against, [current Raiders and former Rams special teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis] and those guys have done a really good job. But we have to be much better. You can’t give up the first two times that you cover that kind of field position.”
As for what can be done to fix that unit seven games into the season, that remains to be seen.
“I gotta figure that out. It’s one of those deals that it’s driving me crazy,” McVay said. “So we gotta figure it out and we haven’t yet.”
October 27, 2026 at 10:06 pm #167197znModeratorThe Los Angeles Rams made three practice squad moves on Tuesday, including signing linebacker Jon Rhattigan, a former Army graduate and six-year NFL veteran who should provide immediate help on special teams. Rhattigan has played over 1,200 special teams snaps in his career with the Seahawks, Panthers, Steelers, and Raiders.
To make room for Rhattigan, the Rams released linebacker Eli Neal and cornerback Nyzier Fourqurean from the practice squad.
Rhattigan went undrafted in 2021 and signed with the Seahawks, appearing in 14 games as a rookie. He is not considered NFL defense material, having only spent 20 career snaps at linebacker, but is a valuable special teams contributor.
Of course, the Rams are ranked 32nd in special teams for the second year in a row. Rhattigan, who played 236 special teams snaps in 12 games with the Raiders last year, could be elevated for a role there as soon as this weekend against the Chargers.
October 27, 2026 at 11:45 pm #167198znModeratorJon Rhattigan | Special teams clips | 2025 #RamsHouse pic.twitter.com/X9tws3LeG9
— 1st & Tuna 🏈 (@1standtuna) October 27, 2026
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1st & Tuna@1standtuna
Jon Rhattigan: Some quick notes on the Rams newly signed LB:6’0” ~230lb linebacker who will engage and shed with force on special teams coverage.
What I like about Rhattigan’s play on special teams from a quick watch this afternoon:
➡️Respects his coverage lane, repositions even when tracking the ballcarrier
➡️ Has a plan when he’s engaging through a block, I see him run around guys to make a play or work through them
➡️ Willing to take on double teams but not sit in defeat, does it to muck up a wall attempt.
➡️ Has some REALLY good plays where he’s tracking the ballcarrier while navigating through traffic…
has good tape of being able to track a returner while navigating blocks to be in the right place to make a tackle.
➡️ Saw a clip of him running upfield in punt cover, the guy next to him was too tight, you see him tell his teammate to get outside more to cover the cutback lane.October 28, 2026 at 9:17 am #167202znModerator1st & Tuna@1standtuna
Jon Rhattigan: Some quick notes on the Rams newly signed LBaqui esta otra para Rhattigan pic.twitter.com/l4qG7anAsV
— 1st & Tuna 🏈 (@1standtuna) October 27, 2026
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