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The New York Giants released punter Jamie Gillan amid week one of NFL free agency.
The New York Giants finalized the release news of two veteran contributors on March 12, during week one of NFL free agency. Both were revealed on the league’s official transaction notice.
Heavy on Giants reporter Mike Obermuller relayed both on X, as the contracts of punter Jamie Gillan and linebacker Chris Board were officially terminated.
2 official #Giants vet releases on the NFL transaction log today:
– Punter Jamie Gillan
– Linebacker Chris Board
Neither of these cuts is all that surprising. The Giants spent big money on former Baltimore Ravens punter Jordan Stout on day one of NFL free agency, sealing Gillan’s fate.
Meanwhile, Board was a total bust of a signing last offseason, appearing in just 2 games because of injury issues.
Given Board was a former Ravens special teamer, there was a chance new head coach John Harbaugh would keep him around, but it appears Big Blue will go in another direction with their linebacker/special teams depth.
Giants’ Dead Money Hits Reported After Jamie Gillan & Chris Board Release News
Over the Cap has already updated the contract status of both Gillan and Board. Although it’s unclear exactly how much cap space the Giants will free up with these two cuts, Over the Cap did list the dead money charges for each player.
Gillan’s contract will carry a dead money hit of just over $2.133 million in 2026, while Board will carry a dead money hit of $1.25 million this year.
Over the Cap currently lists the Giants’ available cap space as approximately $12.083 million, although all free agency moves have not been finalized at this time.
Needless to say, it would behoove Big Blue to shed some more cap space as NFL free agency continues. After all, this roster is far from complete as of March 12.
Will Graham Gano Become the Next Giants Cut Amid Harbaugh’s Special Teams Purge?
To no surprise, Harbaugh has begun reshaping the Giants’ special teams department. The new NYG head coach comes from a special teams background, not to mention the Giants have struggled in this area for years, so these types of moves are really a no-brainer.
Along with Stout, the Giants signed kicker Jason Sanders this week, prompting another cut decision.
The Giants have endured the constant availability issues of veteran kicker Graham Gano over the past few seasons. If the G-Men were to move on from Gano at any point this offseason, they would shed $4.5 million in much-needed cap space.
Again, no-brainer, right?
The Giants have often hesitated when it comes to the release of Gano, and there might be a reason that they have yet to cut ties with him in 2026, too. Sanders is returning from a long-term injury and did not kick last year, so it’s possible New York will let the two veterans compete for the job this spring.
The only downside of holding onto Gano for a few more months is the potential cap relief that the Giants would get by moving on. So, their opinion could change if they end up needing that $4.5 million in financial space.
For now, it appears Harbaugh and general manager Joe Schoen do not feel they do.
Michael Obermuller covers the NFL as an Associate Editor for Heavy Sports, where he began writing in 2021. His areas of focus include the NFL breaking news operation, Kansas City Chiefs, New York Giants, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Pittsburgh Steelers, with expert knowledge on each based on years of coverage. Michael is an NYC area native and Quinnipiac graduate. More about Michael Obermuller
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