After dropping three straight, the New York Giants are shaking things up. Quarterback Russell Wilson already lost his starting spot, and now there’s a change at kicker as they head into a tough matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers. Kicker Graham Gano is placed on injured reserve for a groin issue, opening the door for kicker Jude McAtamney, who’s been elevated from the practice squad.

The Giants could’ve selected veteran kicker Younghoe Koo, who has experience, but coach Brian Daboll decided to give a chance to McAtamney. “Giants are elevating Jude McAtamney from the practice squad to be their kicker, per source. He beat out Younghoe Koo this week in a competition,” Jordan Raanan reported.

The young kicker’s resume is short, just one NFL game, where he recorded a 31-yard field goal and an extra point, but now the Giants will count on him to step up in Week 4 to avoid a 0-4.

After signing with the Giants as an undrafted free agent, his debut was against the Washington Commanders in November 2024. Since then, he hasn’t had many opportunities to show his potential.

The Northern Ireland native was signed through the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program. With Gano expected to miss at least 4–5 games, his replacement will have plenty of opportunities to show his potential. And if he performs well, McAtamney could receive offers from other teams, even if the Giants do not consider him for the active roster after Gano returns.

The decision comes after a competition between McAtamney and Koo, in which the latter had a stronger chance of winning the position. The eight-year veteran has played 93 regular-season games. He has made 85.8 percent of his field-goal attempts, including a perfect 52-for-52 inside 30 yards and 52-of-56 from 30–39 yards. And these numbers speak volumes about the 2020 Pro Bowler. Despite the skill and experience, Koo’s performance with the Atlanta Falcons reached a low this season.

After missing a 44-yard field goal in the final seconds of a 23–20 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Atlanta Falcons benched him while seeking new options. He was eventually cut after his replacement, kicker Parker Romo, showed potential. This saw the kicker join the Giants.

This isn’t surprising, considering how the Giants benched Wilson after his costly throwing mistakes in the game against the Kansas City Chiefs. But he’s not giving up. During this time, he will serve as a mentor for starting quarterback Jaxson Dart. “I’m not done,” he said. “I’ve got so much belief in myself and know what I’m capable of.”

The same goes for the team, which can’t afford any more losses or mistakes. And this explains the other roster changes ahead of Week 4.

The Giants made new roster moves ahead of Week 4

Coach Daboll has made a few additions. The Giants signed linebacker Tomon Fox from their NYG practice squad. The 27-year-old has spent the past four years moving between practice squads and active rosters, appearing in 29 games with one start for the Giants. During that time, he recorded 39 tackles, 4 QB hits, and 2.0 sacks.

This season, against the Chiefs, he played 14 defensive snaps and 19 on special teams but didn’t record any stats. Another new player added from the NYG practice squad is defensive lineman Elijah Garcia.

Now, after a string of injuries, the Giants were looking to bolster their linebacker lineup. Starter Micah McFadden is on IR with a foot injury, and linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles is dealing with a calf issue and practiced in a limited capacity this week.

That brought in veteran Neville Hewitt to the practice squad. And now, he is elevated to the 53-man roster. There’s also good news as far as Darius Muasau is concerned. Muasau suffered a concussion in Week 2 but graduated to full participation on Thursday following limited practice the day before.

Only time will tell if these changes can spark a fresh sense of hope for the team.