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Former Duke kicker Ross Martin deserves to be on an NFL roster

By Kevin Connelly

NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 26: Ross Martin #35 of the Duke Blue Devils watches his game winning field goal against the Indiana Hoosiers during overtime of the New Era Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium on December 26, 2015 in the Bronx borough of New York City. Duke defeated Indiana 44-41 in overtime. (Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 26: Ross Martin #35 of the Duke Blue Devils watches his game winning field goal against the Indiana Hoosiers during overtime of the New Era Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium on December 26, 2015 in the Bronx borough of New York City. Duke defeated Indiana 44-41 in overtime. (Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images) /
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Former Duke Football kicker Ross Martin deserves to be on an NFL roster with some of the horrific kicking that has been on display in the preseason.

Some of the kicking performances in the NFL preseason has been horrific and it’s time that a team signs former Duke Football kicker Ross Martin.

Martin has seen three stints in the NFL, all in the preseason, two seasons with the New York Jets and one with the Cleveland Browns.

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The former Blue Devil was on the Jets in the 2016 and 2017 preseason and with the Browns in the 2018 preseason.

At Duke, Martin made all but one of his extra point attempts (146/147), missing one in his freshman season and made 83.9% of his field goals (78/93).

With the Jets in 2016, Martin was 4-of-6 on field goals with a long of 55 yards and 1-for-2 on extra points as he was competing with the incumbent Nick Folk for the Jets kicking job, while in 2017 he made 5-of-6 field goals in the preseason, with a long of just 31 yards, and made both of his extra point attempts.

In Cleveland, Martin didn’t get much of a chance, but made all the kicks that were asked of him, one field goal and one extra point. Once again, the field goal was 31 yards in length.

As for the kickers those two teams have this preseason, the Jets are on its second kicker and the Browns have had no luck solving its kicking issues.

Chandler Catanzaro started the preseason with the Jets and the struggles he endured in training camp carried over to the preseason.

Against the New York Giants in Week 1 of the preseason, he made his lone 34 yard field goal attempt, but missed two of three extra points and promptly “retired” in the days following the game.

The Jets then brought in Taylor Bertolet for its Week 2 game against the Atlanta Falcons and he didn’t do much better, also missing two of three extra point attempts, although he did make a 49 yard field goal.

Cleveland has two kickers in training camp in the preseason and in its first game against the Washington Redskins, Greg Joseph made a 43 yard field goal but missed one of two extra points while Austin Seibert didn’t attempt a field goal but made both of his extra points.

Things didn’t improve in Week 2 against the Indianapolis Colts as both kickers missed a field goal attempts, but Seibert made two extra points while Joseph made one.

Ross Martin recently worked out for the Indianapolis Colts as the team is searching for a possible replacement to future Hall of Famer Adam Vinatieri who has been dealing with an injury.

Martin has been posting videos on social media of him making long field goals in hopes of a team inking him to a deal.

Ross Martin holds several Duke Football records, including the most field goals made, highest field goal percentage, most field goals of 50+ yards made (eight), most consecutive extra points made (152), most field goals made in a single season (26 in 2015), most field goals of 50+ yards made in a single season (four in 2015).

Martin also holds the ACC Records as the third player with the most career field goals and fifth in career extra points made.

Ross Martin deserves a shot at the NFL, especially with the sub-par kicking from NFL teams, he at least deserves a training camp invite.

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