Giants Country

Giants Sign Punter Matt Haack; Kayvon Thibodeaux Headed to IR

Jamie Gillian (hamstring) will not punt in Sunday's Week 5 game against the Bengals.

Michael Lee

Dec 19, 2021; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills punter Matt Haack (3) prior to the game against the Carolina Panthers at Highmark Stadium.
Dec 19, 2021; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills punter Matt Haack (3) prior to the game against the Carolina Panthers at Highmark Stadium. / Rich Barnes-Imagn Images
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As anticipated, the New York Giants have signed a new punter after Jamie Gillan injured his hamstring in his kicking leg and landed on the injury report.

The Giants' new punter is Matt Haack, whose signing was announced by his agent, Paul Sheehy of Pro Star Sports. 

Haack was part of a five-man workout group the team hosted on Friday after Gillan’s hamstring issue popped up. The Giants’ new punter signed as an undrafted free agent with the Dolphins in 2017, spending four seasons there. He also had stints with the Bills and Colts and had a one-game stint with the Browns last year.

Haack, with whom head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen are familiar from the 2021 season when all three were with the Bills, will appear in his 100th career game this Sunday with the Giants. In his prior 99 games, he has punted 432 times for 19,242 yards, a 44.5 yards/punt average, and a net average of 39.6.

Gillan is expected to be inactive for tomorrow night’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals, but it’s unclear if he will be placed on IR or if the Giants will carry two punters on their 53-man roster for now. 

To make room for Haack on the 53-man roster, the Giants will be placing outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux on injured reserve. Thibodeaux had surgery to repair the scaphoid bone in his wrist, which he broke in last week’s win over Seattle. 

Head coach Brian Daboll described Thibodeaux as being “week to week” but with the Giants needing the roster spot and Thibodeaux’s recovery anticipated to be a 4-6 week affair, the team is making this move with the hope of having Thibodeaux back after their Week 11 bye. 

Both transactions and still-to-be-determined practice squad elevations will be official by 4 PM ET today. With running back Devin Singletary (groin) questionable for Sunday's game and receiver Malik Nabers (concussion) declared out, running back Dante Miller and Isaiah Hodgins could both be in line for a second elevation this week.

READ MORE ABOUT THE GIANTS' WEEK 6 GAME AGAINST THE BENGALS

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Michael Lee
MICHAEL LEE

Michael Lee is an aspiring sports writer currently studying journalism and communications.

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