Brian Daboll says he is not breaking his own rule of personnel when it comes to selecting the Giants’ punt returner.
As his two-year track record of making quick lineup changes confirms, Daboll believes that “regardless of where you’re drafted, how you got here, how much money you make, everybody goes out there and competes, and we play the guys that earn the right to play.”
But after rookie Eric Gray fumbled a punt return Sunday for the second time in the last four games and months of shaky catches in practice continued to manifest into in-game mistakes, it has become difficult not to wonder: Are the Giants force-feeding Gray to create a gameday role and justify a fifth-round draft pick because he cannot get carries in a Saquon Barkley-dominated backfield?
“You’re always looking to put as good of guys back there as you can,” Daboll said Monday when asked if those reasons are impacting the decision. “He’s competed. He’s worked hard. So, that’s why he’s back there.”
The Giants took a step toward making a change Monday by signing Gunner Olszewski to the practice squad, The Post confirmed.
Olszewski was a First-Team All-Pro returner in 2020 and has averaged 12 yards per punt return over five seasons with the Patriots and Steelers.
Olszewski was released by Pittsburgh last week after his own ball-security issues included a fumbled punt as well as a mental mistake fielding a kickoff and a fumble on offense earlier in the season.
Gray, who is also dealing with a calf injury, is averaging four yards per punt return – well below the league average of 9.8 yards – but the bigger problem is securing the catch.
He was replaced as a returner at Oklahoma after a fourth-quarter fumble in 2021.
After Gray was benched Sunday, Sterling Shepard – who did not return a punt in any of his first 82 career games – took over and fumbled one of his three returns, setting up a short-field touchdown for the Commanders.
When third option Darius Slayton replaced Shepard and secured a fair catch, the home crowd mock-cheered.
The Giants cut return specialists Jaydon Mickens (69 punt returns) and Kalil Pimpleton as well as veteran receiver/return Jamison Crowder during training camp.
Crowder was the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week after his 61-yard punt return for the Commanders in Week 6, but even he fumbled one Sunday in the swirling Meadowlands’ winds.
“We knew what Jamison was,” special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey said last week when asked about the organization choosing Gray over Crowder. “He’s done it in the past and we knew he had the ability to do it, but just trying to get Eric back there comfortable doing it again.”
This is two straight seasons that punt returner has been a headache for Daboll, who lost top cornerback Adoree Jackson for seven games to a knee injury last season.
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