The New York Giants need a new kicker

Kicker Graham Gano, who suffered a hamstring injury in the first game of Sunday's loss to the Washington Commanders, will likely be out for “a few weeks,” New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll said Monday.

That means the Giants will need a new kicker for their Week 3 game against the Cleveland Browns and likely for several weeks afterward. Gano, 37, will likely be placed on the injured list for the second consecutive week.

The Giants have signed undrafted rookie Jude McAtamney to their practice squad, who ran kickoffs for Rutgers last season and made 12 of 18 field goals for the Scarlet Knights in 2022.

Daboll said the Giants will practice and select experienced kickers this week.

“We will make a decision based on the training,” said Daboll.

The Giants did not activate McAtamney from their practice squad for Sunday's game against the Washington Commanders, even though Gano was on the injured list with a groin injury. The decision backfired, and Daboll was heavily criticized for it.

One veteran kicker who is available is Randy Bullock, who kicked in six games for the Giants as Gano's backup in 2023. Bullock, 34, made 5 of 6 field goals and all 10 of his extra point attempts with the Giants. His longest field goal was 56 yards.

Bullock was selected in the fifth round of the 2012 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans. He played for the Texans, Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers, Tennessee Titans and Giants.

Brandon McManus, who the Giants traded to the Denver Broncos at the end of the 2014 preseason, is also available. The 33-year-old played for the Broncos for nine years, then played for the Jacksonville Jaguars last season, where he scored 30 of 37 field goals (81.1%).

McManus signed as a free agent with the Washington Commanders, but was released in June when allegations of sexual assault were made against him.

Kicker training

According to Mike Garafolo, the Giants practiced four kickers on Monday:

• bull
• Tanner Brown
• Zane Gonzalez
• Riley Patterson

Brown has never kicked in an NFL game. He was released by the Los Angeles Rams in mid-August.

Gonzalez was selected in the seventh round by the Cleveland Browns in 2017. He made 91 of 113 (80.5%) field goals in his career, but has not kicked in a regular season game since 2021.

Patterson is 59 of 67 (88.1%). In his career, which began in 2021, he kicked for the Detroit Lions (twice), Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars. Patterson was released by the Jaguars in July and again by the Washington Commanders in August.