The New York Giants have another kicker dilemma in 2024. Graham Gano suffered a knee injury before Week 7 during the 2023 season and managed to play in Week 7 and 8. However, he was ineffective in those games, and the Giants placed him on season-ending injured reserve. They would have to rely on Randy Bullock and Mason Crosby for the rest of the season.
Gano recovered just in time for OTAs and their special teams coordinator had a unique plan of utilizing him during training camp. “I think you always have to monitor how many kicks a specialist has in general,” he said. “But the fact of the matter is that is like a conversation that you always have with the player. How are you feeling today? The biggest thing is you want to make sure they show up to the game healthy and ready to go. I’ve seen him do everything that I need to.”
Unfortunately, the injury bug bit him once again.
The New York Giants placed their Pro Bowler on IR
The Giants placed Graham Gano on injured reserve. Gano pulled his hamstring on the opening kickoff, attempting to chase down Austin Ekeler, who returned it for a 98-yard touchdown, which was negated due to a holding penalty. In desperate need of a kicker, the Giants signed one off a practice squad from an NFC North team.
The New York Giants signed a kicker off the Detroit Lions practice squad
According to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, the Giants poached Greg Joseph off the Lions practice squad. Joseph spent the last three seasons with the Vikings, making 112 out of 124 extra points and 83 out of 101 field goals with an 82.2% field goal percentage and a long of 61 (a game-winning field goal against the Giants in Week 16 of the 2022 season). He spent the 2024 offseason competing for the kicking job with the Packers. However, the Packers released him during the roster cutdown deadline, and he signed to the Lions practice squad last week.
After working out four kickers yesterday, the #Giants pluck Greg Joseph from the #Lions’ practice squad. https://t.co/ZqcFxzaxqs
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) September 17, 2024
Fans react to the signing
Welcome to the Giants Greg Joseph #Giants100 pic.twitter.com/A7XL7U0UGz
— WBG84 (@WBG84) September 17, 2024
Giants needed a kicker bad with theirs injured. But let’s be real the giants need a TON of help
— Yoda Trades (@MarketMovers10) September 17, 2024
This is what were waiting for
— 𝑳𝑼𝑻𝑯𝑬𝑹 18 (@AMARYAMARY9) September 17, 2024
Greg Joseph listing all the teams he’s played for in his career pic.twitter.com/FEOSGySP0G
— BetMGM 🦁 (@BetMGM) September 17, 2024
Looks like the Giants are making a solid move by bringing in veteran kicker Greg Joseph!
— Tayyab Nisar Janjua (@MrTayyab786) September 17, 2024
