Though concerned by Nick Folk's recent downturn, the New York Jets have no plans to sign a kicker before Monday night's game in New England, according to a league source.
On Tuesday, the Jets worked out but did not sign veteran free agent Kris Brown.
Folk, who played a major role in two of the Jets' first six wins, has missed five of his past 10 field-goal attempts. In last Thursday night's win over the Cincinnati Bengals, he was unsuccessful from 44 yards, almost missed an extra point (he got a good bounce off the upright) and came up short on three kickoffs.
Brown, 33, was cut Nov. 23 by the San Diego Chargers, for whom he kicked in three games. He made four of five field goals. He has played for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Houston Texans in a 12-year career, but lost his job in Houston in the preseason to Neil Rackers. Brown is a 77 percent career kicker on field goals.
Jets coach Rex Ryan admitted Monday that he's "definitely concerned" by Folk, who suffered a late-season collapse last year with the Dallas Cowboys -- a decline that earned him a pink slip.
"When you miss the field goal, that's one thing," Ryan said on his weekly spot with Michael Kay on 1050 ESPN Radio. "But when he hit the upright on the extra point, it's like, 'Nick, come on, you can kick it left-footed and kick it through there.'
"Sometimes you're going to have some ups and downs in a year, but that was a concern to me. And his kickoffs. This was a guy who has been booming his kickoffs, but for some reason, he wasn't."
The Jets took a chance on Folk, signing him last offseason in anticipation of losing incumbent Jay Feely to free agency. When Feely signed with the Arizona Cardinals, the Jets put their trust in Folk, who responded with a magnificent first half of the season.
He made five field goals in a 29-20 win over the Minnesota Vikings. He kicked a game-tying field goal as time expired, and added the game-winner in overtime, to beat the Detroit Lions. The following week, he missed three field goals in Cleveland, the start of his struggles.
Unlike last season in Dallas, where he attributed his problems to offseason hip surgery, Folk has no known injury issues.
Rich Cimini covers the Jets for ESPNNewYork.com. You can follow him on Twitter.