Notebook: Greg Joseph, Jude McAtamney compete for Giants’ kicker role

The Giants have not announced that Joseph will replace Gano, who was placed on injured reserve Tuesday and must miss at least four games. They have rookie Jude McAtamney on their practice squad, and special teams coordinator Michael Ghobrial said today the kickers are competing to see who will kick Sunday when the Giants face the Browns in Cleveland.

“It’s going be good competition,” Ghobrial said. “Obviously, what Greg brings to the table is a veteran guy that’s kicked in multiple stadiums and that has had a good percentage throughout his career. And Jude has shown a very promising preseason and has obviously done a good job in the offseason and training camp and all his opportunities in practice. So, we’ll have a better idea of who becomes our kicker on Sunday as we get closer to that day.”

Joseph, 30, owns a significant experience advantage. He has played in 67 regular season and four postseason games for Cleveland (2018), Tennessee (2019) and Minnesota (2021-23). He has also spent time with Miami, Tampa Bay and Green Bay, which signed him as a free agent in March but cut him on Aug. 28. Joseph joined the Lions’ practice squad on Sept. 11 and came to the Giants six days later.

His career totals include 100 field goals in 121 attempts (82.6%) and 146 of 162 extra points for 446 points. Joseph scored more than 100 points in each of his three seasons with the Vikings, topping out at 135 points in 2021 when he tied for sixth in the NFL. He had touchbacks on 72.2% of his kickoffs (244 of 338).

The Giants did not enjoy their introduction to Joseph. On Dec. 24, 2022, he kicked a Vikings record and career-long 61-yard field goal as time expired to give Minnesota a 27-24 victory.

“(It was) awesome, obviously for the team,” Joseph said. “I just remember focusing on my technique, taking it one step at a time and going from there.”

In addition to his impressive numbers, Joseph has played seven games in Huntington Bank Field (the new name for the Browns’ home) and four years ago, worked with Giants holder Jamie Gillan in in training camp in Cleveland. The former point is important because that can be a quirky stadium for kickers.

“It’s windy there all the time,” Gillan said, elongating the word windy. “I’ll never forget in three years there and dealing with different winds and weather conditions that stadium brings, especially being so close to the lake. It’s always interesting up there on Sundays.”

“Obviously, with it being a weathered stadium, I think the experience is always very helpful,” Ghobrial said. “His (Joseph’s) knowledge of different stadiums and how the wind plays in each of them is really, really cool. I started talking to him a little bit more about it and you understand kind of the way his mind works, depending on which way we’re kicking and what are the tendencies of that. So that experience certainly helps.”

McAtamney impressed the coaches in training camp practices and kicked two field goals and one extra point in the preseason. But the native of Ireland and former Rutgers kicker has no NFL regular-season experience. Because he receives an international player exemption, McAtamney does not count against the 16-man practice squad.

The Giants had four kickers in for a tryout on Monday but signed Joseph, who was not part of the auditioning quartet.

“Thought he was the best option for us,” coach Brian Daboll said. “He’ll come out and kick. Had a good kick last time we played against him, a 61-yarder. But he’s been on a lot of teams. He’ll come out here and get the operation down with the holder, with the snapper, and see how it goes.”

One player with 15 years of experience on the job thinks Jospeh will do very well.

“I remember when I was with the Panthers, he was with the Dolphins and they came to Carolina for practice,” Gano said. “I remember seeing him and I was like, ‘Man, you’ll play in the league for a long time.’He had a very talented leg coming out ofFlorida Atlantic.

“We’ve known each other for a while. I’ve kept in touch with him and after I got injured the other day, he was one of the first texts that I got wishing me well, saying he was praying for me. And that was before he had any idea he was coming here. So, great guy. I hope he does really well.”

Joseph can’t wait for the opportunity.

“I wish it was Sunday already,” he said. “I obviously got another couple days of prep, another couple days working with the guys. But Sunday can’t come soon enough.”

*Safety/linebacker Isaiah Simmons did not practice today because of personal reasons. Daboll said he is not concerned about Simmons’ availability for the game Sunday. Outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux (shoulder) and rookie inside linebacker Darius Muasau (knee) were limited. Cornerback Nick McCloud (knee) did not practice.

*Cleveland defensive end Myles Garrett, the 2023 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, missed his second straight day of practice with a foot injury. Tight end David Njoku (ankle) did not practice.