Brian Bassett , theJetsBlog.com

With the news earlier this afternoon that the Jets have cut TJ Conley, the other half of the puzzle is falling into place … the team has signed Robert Malone who saw time in 2010 for 12 games with the Bucs and then a short stint last year with the Lions where he had five punts during the whole of the 2011 season.  Most recently Malone was fighting an uphill battle against one of the league’s best punters in San Diego, Mike Scifres and was cut by the Chargers last week.

In 2011 the Jets were the third best punt coverage unit in the league, so it’s hard to feel excited about the prospect of putting a new punter into the mix for the Jets at this late date.  Conley might not have been the best, but Malone’s familiarity with Westhoff might make the early going dificult.  Rex Ryan praised Conley a few weeks ago saying that Conley is one of the best “inside-the-20” punters in the league, but he did warn his punter after a bad performance saying that his punters are competing against “everyone else” in the league, and the Jets have made good on that threat.  Ryan was maddened by Conley’s inconsistency so far this preseason, saying that he’s looked bad at times, but also he’s “looked like Ray Guy.”

Personally, I really don’t care too much about who the team’s punter is, but the Jets better have done their advanced scouting on Malone.  If he’s not ready to step in and punt better than Conley was, then the Jets are going to be doing this all over again in a week or two …