The New York Giants are once again staring down financial challenges, but one of the easiest calls they’ll make next offseason involves veteran kicker Graham Gano. Once a reliable, clutch performer, Gano has become more of a liability than an asset in recent seasons, and the numbers don’t paint a pretty picture.
He’s played in five of the Giants’ nine games this year, but he’s clearly been limited by nagging injuries. The biggest concern is the decline in consistency — the one thing a team simply can’t afford from its kicker. Gano has made just one field goal from beyond 40 yards this season, a drastic drop-off for a player who was once one of the most dependable legs in football.
Decline from steady veteran to question mark
Back in 2021 and 2022, Gano was automatic. He drilled long-range kicks with ease and served as one of the Giants’ most consistent scoring options in games where the offense often stalled. But since then, the slide has been hard to ignore. Missed opportunities, shorter range, and injuries have combined to turn a former strength into a glaring weakness.
For a team that’s trying to rebuild stability across its roster, it’s impossible to justify keeping a kicker who’s costing more than he’s contributing. The Giants have spent two years waiting for Gano to regain form, and that patience has run thin.
Cutting Gano opens critical financial flexibility
From a financial standpoint, the writing is already on the wall. If the Giants cut Gano after this season, they’d save roughly $4.5 million in cap space while taking on just $1.25 million in dead money. That’s a small penalty for what amounts to a fresh start — and a meaningful chunk of money that can be better spent elsewhere.
Those savings could go directly toward retaining linebacker Micah McFadden, who’s been a bright spot when healthy — but he’s missed most of the season up to this point. Even a one-year contract to keep him in blue would be a smarter allocation of resources than sticking with a kicker in decline.
The Giants have far more pressing needs on both sides of the ball, and every dollar matters when trying to rebuild a competitive roster. They can find a capable leg for cheaper, whether through free agency or late in the draft, without eating into the budget for core contributors.
The end of an era, but the right move
Gano’s time in New York is likely coming to an end, and while it’s always tough to see a respected veteran go, this move feels overdue. The Giants can’t afford nostalgia when they’re fighting to climb out of mediocrity, and Gano’s recent performances have done little to justify a continued role.
Releasing him won’t solve every problem, but it’s a clean, necessary decision that saves real money — the kind that could keep a promising defender like McFadden in-house. For a team that’s been bleeding cash and wins, that’s the kind of move they can’t afford not to make.