With Aldrick Rosas’ future in doubt following his arrest on Monday, there are several available placekickers for the New York Giants to sign.
The New York Giants‘ tumultuous offseason added another chapter this week as Aldrick Rosas was arrested for a misdemeanor hit-and-run charge and driving with a suspended license, according to California Highway Patrol. It’s also believed that Rosas’ blood alcohol content was above the legal limit.
Rosas became the second Giant to be arrested this offseason. DeAndre Baker was arrested last month and is now facing armed robbery and aggravated assault charges.
Prior to this alleged incident, the young placekicker was already on shaky ground with the Giants. He converted 12 of 17 field-goal attempts (70.6%) and missed four extra points last season.
New head coach Joe Judge spent the last eight seasons as a New England Patriots special teams coach and was likely already looking to bring in a kicker to compete with Rosas in camp.
The Giants re-signed Rosas to a one-year contract worth $3.259 million this offseason. But if they decide to cut him, they wouldn’t incur any dead cap space.
Fortunately for the Giants, there are several placekickers available if they do decide to part ways with Rosas. Here’s a look at a few individuals who could be on Big Blue’s radar.
Stephen Gostkowski
This is an obvious choice due to Stephen Gostkowski’s ties to Judge from their time with the Patriots. Gostkowski spent his entire 14-year career with New England before the team released him in March. During that span, he helped the organization win three Super Bowls.
For his career, he’s converted 374 of 428 field-goal attempts and 653 of 664 extra-point attempts. He’s been so dependable that he was actually named to the NFL 2010’s All-Decade Team.
If he’s fully recovered from a hip injury that cost him the final 12 games of last season, the 36-year-old Gostkowski should be on top of the Giants’ list. His 1,775 points scored is currently 12th all-time in NFL history.
Nick Folk
Nick Folk spent his first three years with the Dallas Cowboys (2007-09) and earned a Pro Bowl bid as a rookie. He’s familiar with the East Rutherford area, having played for the New York Jets from 2010-16. He then played four games for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2017 and seven games with the Patriots last season following Gostkowski’s injury.
For his career, he’s converted 259 of 322 field-goal attempts and 354 of 358 extra-point attempts. He was shaky at times during his Jets tenure, but the fact that he has a relationship with Judge and is just 35 makes him a viable option.
Adam Vinatieri
Adam Vinatieri is arguably the most clutch kicker in NFL history. He played a pivotal role in helping the Patriots win three Super Bowls in the 2000s. The 2,673 points he’s scored is additionally the most of all-time.
It’s without question that he’ll find himself in the Pro Football Hall of Fame one day. In total, he’s converted 599 of 715 career field-goal attempts and 874 of 898 career extra-point attempts.
The question is, how much does the 47-year-old Vinatieri have left in his leg especially when he missed the last four games of the 2019 season due to knee surgery? If he’s healthy and wants to continue playing, he’s definitely an option.
Judge knows the importance of solid special teams play, and one way or another, he’ll make sure the Giants employ a reliable kicker in camp.
