Austin McNamara will be eligible for an extension following the regular season in 2026, and the Jets might want to lock him up for 2027-28 before he can hit free agency in 2027.
Yes, we are about to discuss a punter contract extension, but not necessarily a long-term one, but one that brings him to unrestricted free agency.
A lot of people would laugh at the notion of extending a punter being a top priority, but that’s where we are, and it’s ok and not a sign of bad things.
Punting is a crucial part of football, despite what many people will say. A punter with the talent of McNamara is a weapon in the field position game, and that helps the defense.
In turn, it helps the offense. Forcing an opponent to start their drives deep in their own territory can help get good field position. Good starting field position is always good for the offense.
It would be prudent for the Jets to extend McNamara before he even hits the free agent market, but they can’t do so until after the 2026 regular season.
If I were the Jets, as of today, I would offer him a 2-year extension for $5,612,195.
Here’s the breakdown of the contract.
This contract would be equal to the ERFA tender in 2027, and what I am projecting the RFA tender to be in 2028.
He would make $4,377,195 in 2027. As of today, that would make him the highest-paid punter specifically in 2027.
If he continues to play well in 2027, they could do another extension in 2028 to give him more cash in 2028.
This contract gives McNamara good money for a punter in 2027, and the Jets another year to evaluate for big dollars. It’s a win-win for both sides.