New York Giants 2024 Training Camp Preview: P Jamie Gillan

The New York Giants have leaned on Jamie Gillan to flip the field for the defense for the past two seasons. He joined the team in 2022 after spending his first three years in Cleveland. 

Gillan was known for launching big punts, including a 71-yard punt during his rookie season. Over the next two seasons, he experienced some consistency issues. He saw his average yards per punt drop over two yards from his rookie season, and the Browns decided to move on. 

After joining New York, Gillan rediscovered the success he enjoyed in his first season with the Browns. Nicknamed the Scottish Hammer by his high school coach thanks to his Scottish roots, Gillan’s attendance at an HBCU helped shape him for the challenges he’d face at the NFL level. 

Given the Giants’ offense’s struggles, Gillan has been kept busy. After punting a season-high 63 times in Cleveland, the last two seasons have seen Gillan punt 74 and 95 times for the Giants. 

Yet despite the increased workload, his production remained high. He excelled with hangtime and his net punt average was over 40 yards per punt this past season. Sixty-one of his punts have been downed inside the 20-yard line, and he’s only had one punt blocked over the past two seasons. 

One of the things former special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughet implemented on the punt team when Gillan arrived was a rugby-style punt that allowed Gillan, who has a rugby background, to feel more comfortable in certain high-leverage or pressure situations. 

That helped increase his consistency when the stakes were high, and it kept punt return units guessing what was coming next. 

Now in his third year with the Giants and first with new special teams coordinator Michael Ghorbrial, Gillan will need to take the next step in his game, which comes back to consistency.

Height: 6-1
Weight: 207 lbs.
Exp: 6
School: University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
How Acquired: FA-22

In 2023, Gillan improved in almost every category. He punted a career-high 95 times and didn’t have any blocked. He had more punts downed inside the 20-yard line (35, a career-high) than he did in 2022 (26), and he reduced his touchbacks from nine in his first season with the team to four.

His 42.2 net yards per punt was the highest of his career and an almost three-yard improvement from his first season with the Giants. Additionally, he had six games where he averaged over 49 yards per punt, one more than in 2022.

Yet when you look at his overall career, it’s easy to see why Gillan has struggled to be a top-10 punter. The issue has been consistency or rather a lack of it. 

He was third in the NFL in total punts and punt yardage which speaks to how much the Giants relied on him and highlighted his durability as a player. However, his 46 yards per punt was only good for 26th in the NFL. 

The positives were that his 42.2 net yards per punt was 12th best in the NFL and his career-high 35 punts downed inside the 20 was good for third best in the league.