Jets Rumors: Riley Patterson to Kick vs. Texans amid Greg Zuerlein's Knee injury

Riley Patterson reportedly will be the kicker for the New York Jets in Thursday night's game against the Houston Texans.

Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported Patterson is expected to be elevated from the practice squad in order to make his Jets debut in place of the injured Greg Zuerlein.

The Jets announced Wednesday that they had signed Patterson and Spencer Shrader to the practice squad. New York also placed Zuerlein on injured reserve, meaning he will miss a minimum of four games.

Zuerlein was listed as a limited participant in Tuesday's practice with a left knee injury. It's unclear how the injury occurred because he wasn't on the initial injury report released on Monday.

There have been questions about Zuerlein's long-term outlook with the Jets. The 36-year-old has really struggled this season, making just nine of his 15 field-goal attempts. He is 1-of-5 on attempts from at least 40 yards.

Zuerlein missed a potential game-winning field goal from 50 yards in the final minute of New York's 10-9 loss to the Denver Broncos in Week 4. He missed a 43-yard attempt with the score tied at 20 early in the fourth quarter against the Buffalo Bills in Week 6.

The Bills went on to win that game 23-20 when Tyler Bass made a 22-yard field goal on their ensuing offensive possession. New York had an opportunity to at least tie the game or potentially take the lead with a touchdown, but Aaron Rodgers' pass intended for Mike Williams was intercepted by Taron Johnson with 2:01 remaining to seal the loss.

Garafolo reported on Tuesday that the Jets hosted six kickers for a workout, with Patterson and Shrader among them. The others included Zane Gonzalez, Brayden Narveson, Andre Szmyt, and Cade York.

Patterson has three years of experience with three different teams in the NFL from 2021 to '23. He is 59-of-67 on field goals and 93-of-97 on extra points.