The New York Giants are once again facing injury challenges on special teams, with starting punter Jamie Gillan listed as questionable for their Week 6 game against the Cincinnati Bengals. On Friday, the Giants held a tryout for five punters, ultimately signing veteran Matt Haack to take over the punting duties.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Haack is expected to start on Sunday as Gillan continues to recover from a left hamstring injury.
Haack, a 30-year-old punter, has had a diverse NFL career spanning seven years, playing for the Miami Dolphins (2017-2020), Buffalo Bills (2021), Indianapolis Colts (2022), and Cleveland Browns (2023). Over his career, he has averaged 39.6 net yards per punt, with a touchback rate of 5.8%. Additionally, 37.0% of his punts have landed inside the 20-yard line. This Sunday will mark Haack’s 100th career game.
The Giants have recently seen significant contributions from their special teams. Linebacker Isaiah Simmons was named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for Week 5 after making a crucial block on a field goal attempt by the Seattle Seahawks, sealing the victory for the Giants.
However, in Week 2, the special teams played a pivotal role in a loss, as the Giants opted not to elevate a backup kicker despite Graham Gano’s injury, resulting in a narrow defeat. It appears that head coach Brian Daboll has taken that experience into account this time.
