The New York Giants simply can’t get out of their own way this off-season, with the latest development being kicker Aldrick Rosas and his drunk driving accident. Rosas ran a red light going 100 mph, according to TMZ, hitting a car and fleeing the scene on foot.
Police picked up Rosas near the scene of the accident, as he was bloodied and bruised. They took him to the hospital to be evaluated before arresting him and putting him in county jail. The evidence seems quite stacked against Rosas, who was oddly drunk driving at 8:25 AM in the morning on Monday.
Ultimately, this now forces us to explore alternative options at the kicker position. One option that stands out is Stephen Gostkowski.
Why should the New York Giants target Stephen Gostkowski?
Gostkowski is the most experienced option currently available on the free-agent market, and his connection with Joe Judge makes him an excellent alternative to Rosas. Bringing in familiar faces with experience in a winning culture is essential, and Rosas being willing to put his professional job in the NFL in jeopardy gives another player an opportunity. Of course, it is fair to let the situation play out before making cemented judgments, but the evidence is quite clear of his wrongdoing. The Giants will likely begin scouring the free-agent market as a precaution anyway, and Gostkowski fits the bill nicely.
Gostkowski finished his 2019 campaign with a season-ending hip injury. Despite this development, Judge and Gostkowski had spent time together from 2015 to 2019. Judge was the Patriots’ special-teams coordinator during that time-span. However, the current free agent spent 14 seasons with the Pats as one of the best kickers in the NFL.
Stephen went 7 for 8 on field-goal attempts last season but only hit on 11 of 15 attempts from the extra point spot. This was the worst completion percentage of his career at 73.3, but it could be an outlier based on his statistical past.
Bringing in an established veteran should be a serious consideration for the Giants, and one that has a connection with their current head coach is obvious. However, I imagine the team will let things play out with the process before rushing to any judgment and making a premature signing. We will update you with any more information on the matter.