The New York Giants have kick returner/reserve wide receiver Gunner Olszewski, a player they like and trust, on their 53-man roster.
They have Ihmir-Smith Marsette, a kick returner/wide receiver who did an excellent job for them last season after Olszewski went on Injured Reserve, on their practice squad. They also have Dee Williams, a cornerback who returned punts and kickoffs for the Seattle Seahawks last season, on their practice squad.
So, why did they claim kick returner/wide receiver Xavier Gipson after he was waived by the New York Jets this week?
“We like the talent,” Giants head coach Brian Daboll said on Friday. “We’ll give him some chances out here as we get going next week and see where he’s at.”
Gipson, 24, averaged 8.9 yards on 68 punt returns and 26.0 yards on 44 kickoff returns over two seasons plus one game with the Jets. He was released by the Jets after fumbling a kickoff in the fourth quarter of the Jets’ 34-32 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 1. Gipson, in fact, has 10 fumbles in 148 touches as a returner and receiver.
“Someone we take a look at. We liked him,” Daboll said. “I know [GM] Joe [Schoen] and his staff and [special teams coordinator Michael] Ghobi [Ghobrial] liked him, so we’ll take a look at him.”
Ghobrial, in his second season with the Giants, was assistant special teams coordinator for Jets when Gipson was a rookie in 2023. Gipson averaged 9.7 yards on punt returns and 23.2 on kickoff returns that season. He also caught 21 passes that season, but only has six receptions since.
Even though Daboll referenced next week as when the Giants would really begin to ramp Gipson up, there might be an opening for him to contribute on kickoff returns this week.
The Giants used wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson as one of their two kickoff returners in Week 1 against the Washington Commanders. That was Robinson’s first appearance as a kickoff returner since 2019 at Nebraska. Robinson, the Giants’ starting slot receiver, has been limited this week by an ankle injury and is questionable for Sunday’s game against the Dallas Cowboys.
Even if Robinson plays, the Giants might not want to expose him to extra hits on kickoff return. So, Gipson could fill that spot.
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