New Punter Hurt

Reggie Hodges, signed this week to replace Ben Graham, is batting a leg injury according to the Star-Ledger.

Reggie Hodges, signed on Wednesday to replace waived veteran Ben Graham, has what the team is calling a thigh (often Jets code for "hamstring") injury to his left (non-kicking) leg and is questionable for Monday night's game vs, the Chargers.

In a strange way, an injury to a non-kicking leg might be worse than one to a kicking leg. Hodges uses his off leg to plant, stabilizing his entire body. Holding that weight is more difficult than driving a leg through swiftly to kick.

The Jets signed another punter, Waylon Prather to their practice squad this week. This helps to explain why. He is a rookie from San Jose State. He averaged under 40 yards per punt in three of his four years in college, although his junior average of 44.0 is solid. Despite his erratic kicking averages, he does have a big leg. Prather had more than one kick in excess of 60 yards at State. He appears to be similar to Ben Graham, a boot with little consistency. He should at least be better than Ben was in Week 2.

Prather should be the punter on Monday. There is no reason to risk sending a guy with a bad leg out to kick. especially when that guy is as unspectacular as Hodges. Frankly, Prather should be ahead of Hodges on the depth chart anyway. He at least has some raw ability with which Mike Westhoff can work. There is a reason Hodges is a veteran who has never held down a steady job.