The Giants spent the offseason trying to clean up a kicking mess that turned last season into a five-kicker carousel, and Dominic Zvada is already showing why he was their top undrafted free agent target.
New York’s special teams overhaul started with a reset, including signing and then cutting Jason Sanders earlier in the offseason before turning to fresh blood after the draft. That led the Giants to former Michigan standout Dominic Zvada, a 22-year-old rookie they moved quickly to secure as a priority UDFA.
He’s now in a real training camp battle with incumbent Ben Sauls, and the early results have already come with a sharp swing. Zvada looked strong during minicamp and OTAs, but his first day of camp was rough, with misses from 34 and 43 yards that looked routine on paper.
The answer came fast on Day 2.
Practice ended with a two-minute drill, and backup quarterback Brandon Allen spiked the ball with one second left, setting Zvada up for a chance to finish strong. He did exactly that, drilling a 57-yard field goal and sending it through with plenty to spare.
That kind of response is exactly what the Giants were hoping to see from the former Bakken-Andersen Big Ten Kicker of the Year winner. A rookie kicker can’t afford to carry a bad day into the next one, and Zvada showed the kind of short memory that matters in this job.
The competition is still wide open. Sauls is the safer option, but Zvada brings the bigger leg and the kind of ceiling that can change field position once the offense crosses the opponent’s 40-yard line.
For now, the Giants have seen both sides of the rookie. After a shaky opening day, Zvada answered with a booming kick that reminded everyone why New York made him such a priority. If he keeps hitting 57-yarders like that, the Giants’ UDFA gamble could look like a steal by September.
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For the Giants, the appeal is bigger than just the highlight reel. Beckham is not being asked to come in as the primary option, but he does look positioned to claim one of the few available spots and provide a steady target in the passing game. Just as important, his presence around a young receiver group could give the team something it has been missing, even if the final shape of his role is still being sorted out. [Read more 🡒]