Anthony Rivardo
The New York Giants made a flurry of roster moves on Monday as they trimmed the fat on the roster and overhauled their wide receiver depth. Among the casualties was former All-Pro kicker Jason Sanders, who was in the middle of a three-way battle for the Giants’ starting job.
With Sanders released, the competition has turned into a high-stakes, youth-driven showdown between two elite collegiate legs: Dominic Zvada and Ben Sauls.
The Decision to Part Ways with Sanders
Cutting ties with a kicker of Jason Sanders’s operational history is a gamble. Sanders represented the safe, highly experienced alternative, but his departure signals the Giants’ confidence in the cheaper, higher-upside legs remaining on the roster. By shifting away from the veteran, the Giants are aggressively embracing a young, cost-controlled specialist philosophy.
The Big-Leg Rookie: Dominic Zvada
Now sitting at the forefront of the vacancy is Dominic Zvada, a specialist whose collegiate resume features a demonstrated ability to connect from deep. During his breakout 2024 campaign with the Michigan Wolverines, Zvada was an absolute weapon, converting an astonishing 21-of-22 field goal attempts (95.5%) and earning first-team All-American honors. More impressively, Zvada holds the single-season Michigan record for distance, drilling a perfect 7-for-7 from 50-plus yards, including a pair of towering 56-yard field goals.
Though his 2025 efficiency dipped to 68% (17-of-25), Zvada’s big leg and proven handling of high-magnitude winter weather make him a natural structural fit for the unpredictable, swirling winds of MetLife Stadium. He has a legitimate chance to make this roster as an undrafted rookie.
Could the Giants get a big year-two jump from Ben Sauls?
If Zvada represents raw, explosive distance, Ben Sauls counters with an icy, big-game resume and a bit of NFL experience inside the building.
The former Pittsburgh Panthers standout enjoyed an elite 2024 run, leading his program with 107 total points while hitting on 21-of-24 field goals (87.5%) and a flawless 44-for-44 on extra points.
More importantly, Sauls already has a head start in MetLife after a fantastic three-game audition to close out the 2025 Giants season.
Stepping in as an undrafted rookie, Sauls proved completely unflappable in his brief sample size, going a perfect 8-for-8 on field goal attempts and a flawless 7-for-7 on extra points.
| Kicking Metric | Dominic Zvada (Michigan) | Ben Sauls (Pittsburgh (NCAA) / NYG) |
| 2025 NFL Performance | N/A (Rookie) | 100% FG (8-for-8) / 100% XP (7-for-7) |
| Peak Collegiate FG % | 95.5% (21-of-22 in 2024) | 87.5% (21-of-24 in 2024) |
| Career Long Kick | 56 Yards (Twice) | 58 Yards (vs. Cal – NCAA) / 45 Yards (NFL) |
| Peak 50+ Yard Efficiency | 100% (7-of-7 in 2024) | 85.7% (6-of-7 in 2024) |
| All-American Accolades | 1st-Team All-American (2024) | PFF All-American (2024) |
Capable of hitting from distance—headlined by a career-long 58-yard blast against California in college and a 45-yarder to kick off a Week 18 win over Dallas—Sauls’s historical knack for converting in high-stress environments is exactly what John Harbaugh values most.
With Sauls matching Zvada kick-for-kick, the Giants have constructed a true camp battle where the winner will be forged by pure performance under pressure.
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