The Giants have a little extra spending money, just in time for Christmas. On Tuesday, the G-Men reworked the contacts of tight end Kyle Rudolph and punter Riley Dixon to create ~$350K in cap room (Twitter link via Field Yates of ESPN.com).
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The Giants won’t be making any marquee signings over the next few weeks — after all, they’re 4-10 on the year after taking their third straight loss on Sunday — but they will need to make a few minor moves like signing players to the practice squad and doling out roster bonuses.
Injuries have piled up for the Giants in recent weeks. Just yesterday, they opted to shut down quarterback Daniel Jones for the rest of the year, allowing him to fully heal from his neck injury. They also lost Sterling Shepard for the year with an Achilles tear — just the latest in an unfortunate string of setbacks for the wide receiver.
Rudolph, 32, has 22 catches for 240 yards and one touchdown so far this year. He remains under contract for 2022, thanks to his two-year, $12MM deal, but it’s not a given that he’ll return. The Giants could theoretically cut the veteran to save $5MM against just $2.25MM in dead money.
Dixon, 29 in August, also has one year to go on his contract with a similar split. His release would save $3.25MM versus $125K in dead money. The Giants’ next GM may prefer to go cheaper, rather than roster the league’s fourth-highest paid punter.
with the overly apparent anemic offense, I’d sign Dixon to a 7 yr extension. you never want to punt, but when you do, its nice to know you have a really good one in Dixon. I can only really recall a few miscues, I think one might have lost us a game, but what does that matter when your bottom 5 last 3 years.
From what I’ve read and heard, Dixon isn’t very widely regarded as a punter…..and he’s the leagues 4th hightest paid punter……certainly his directional punting is weak…..his net average is very middle of the pack although his net does depend on special team strength also. Just my thoughts.
I believe there are far less expensive options available.
We’re not a punter away from being competitive.
If he was head and shoulders above the competition? I’d say to hold on to him.
Giving him top 5 league compensation is a luxury that bottom 5 teams can’t afford.
Dixon may be the Giants MVP this year…
To those of you saying Dixon is good, I have one question? Have you watched the games this year? He can’t pin a team inside the 15 yard line, he regularly mis hits punt out of bounds, his average is only up because he regularly punts the ball into the end zone, and for the amount of money he gets should donate 1/2 of it to charity.
Good example he recently punted from the opposing teams 41 (putting him hitting the ball from the giants 45), the punt went out of bounds at the opposing teams 30! So, we had a net yardage of 11 yards!
So yankeenation this is your MVP? An MVP punter would have pinned the other team within the 10 or maybe even the 5 yard line.
GANO MVP, Dixon Co MVP.
Giants have not had a reliable consistent punter since Jeff feagles. Weatherford was ok..but certainly long for the days of Sean landetta Jennings