Giants Release Kicker Jason Saunders

The New York Giants have officially released kicker Jason Saunders, who had signed a one-year agreement worth $1.425 million, along with $300,000 guaranteed, back in March.

This release came as the Giants needed to make space on the roster for JuJu Smith-Schuster, one of the three wide receivers they acquired recently, including the notable Odell Beckham Jr.

Given that the team already had three kickers, it wasn’t entirely unexpected to see them let Sanders go. However, many thought that his unique personality may have earned him a longer stay.

At 30 years old, Sanders has a solid track record, successfully making 84.6% of his field goals during his seven seasons with the Dolphins. Yet, after dealing with hip issues last season, he spent time on injured reserve, which probably set back his chances. He seemed like the frontrunner for the job, but it became evident that the competition was far from over.

During the Giants’ organized team activities, it became apparent that Saunders didn’t impress with his performance in practice. As a result, the team is now left with two younger kickers. Ben Soles, an undrafted player from Pittsburgh, went 8-for-8 on field goal attempts for the Giants last season and is only 24, kicking with his left foot.

After the recent NFL Draft, the Giants also brought in rookie Dominik Zvada, a 22-year-old who gained attention after winning a national championship at the University of Michigan. Zvada notably made a crucial 21-yard field goal against Ohio State in the final minute of a game during his college career, and he had an impressive season, hitting all seven of his attempts from 50 yards or more.

Moving forward, it seems that Soles and Zvada will be battling it out this spring and summer in what’s being dubbed a kicking derby. Of course, there’s always the possibility that the Giants could sign a more experienced kicker if they feel their current options aren’t up to par.