The New York Giants have dealt with their fair share of special teams horror stories over the years, and it looks like their kicking demons are refusing to go quietly.
Big Blue thought it was finally exorcising the spirits of seasons past by clearing the way for a good old-fashioned roster battle between promising second-year kicker Ben Sauls and undrafted rookie Dominic Zvada... but the offseason has had other plans.
While Zvada was busy putting on an absolute clinic, going 13-of-13 at OTAs and 8-of-8 at minicamp, Sauls' leg looked completely possessed by the shank -- gasp. It has been a brutal start to the offseason for the 'Better Call Sauls' campaign. His ugly 5-of-9 finish at minicamp looks even worse following a rough 4-of-10 showing at OTAs.
That's just not good enough. Zvada needs actual competition to push him -- the Giants simply can't afford to ride this kicker roller coaster any longer.
Because of said ongoing struggles, it's time to bust out the Ouija board. Play the game and you'll find that the arrow points to a name on the free-agent market who makes some sense. Justin Tucker has been sitting out there on the open market, and with the Giants' kicking battle needing a worthy opponent, the front office might feel inclined pick up the phone.
Justin Tucker might be the answer the Giants didn’t know they needed
Ever since his release from the Baltimore Ravens following off-field issues, Tucker has been there for the taking. The 13-year vet didn’t latch on anywhere when his 10-game suspension ended last year, and there haven't been any rumors about teams wanting to sign him.
His availability gives the G-Men an interesting chance to bring a historically elite résumé into a room that’s starting to feel more uncertain by the day.
On top of that, you get the John Harbaugh connection. New York's new head coach knows firsthand what the the five-time All-Pro and seven-time Pro Bowler brings to the table, having spent 13 years with him in Baltimore.
Tucker would be the ultimate litmus test for Zvada. The 36-year-old has done it all in his career, boasting an unreal 89.1% field goal percentage, 12 career walk-off makes, and a personal best from 66 yards out.
Bringing Tucker into the mix is less about handing him the job and more about having a high-end insurance policy. If Sauls can't snap out of this downward spiral, leaving a rookie like Zvada unchallenged in training camp without any veteran pressure is a recipe for disaster.
Which makes the decision to cut former All-Pro Jason Sanders more confusing -- he could've provided the exact kind of competition Zvada needs to actually earn the job, while also giving them a fallback if the 22-year-old struggles.
Former Giants kicker Graham Gano and Packers kicker Brandon McManus are also available, but Tucker’s on a different level and he has the Harbaugh connection. We all know Harby loves his guys, so don’t be surprised if Big Blue’s kicking competition ends up bringing the two together again.
If the call gets made, at least the competition won’t feel as messy anymore.
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