The New York Giants held their exit interviews on Monday, January 8, and a couple of players do not appear confident they’ll be returning in 2024.
“Crazy that this chapter has come to a close,” Giants linebacker Carter Coughlin voiced on Instagram on Monday afternoon. “Thank you for everything Big Blue, it’s been an honor🤟.”
Coughlin was a former seventh-round selection of the Giants in 2020. With his rookie contract set to expire, the 26-year-old linebacker will hit free agency for the first time this March.
Coughlin appeared in 55 games for the G-Men over the past four years, logging over 1,100 snaps on special teams. He also played 239 snaps on defense with 41 total tackles, 1.0 sack, two tackles for a loss and one forced fumble.
The Minnesota product suited up on the special teams unit for both playoff outings last season, but did not register any statistics.
Fellow Giants Special Teamer Cam Brown Follows Suit
Similarly, fellow 2020 draft pick and core special teamer/linebacker Cam Brown joined Coughlin later that night, posting on X.
It’s been interesting… Catch Y’all on the flip side ! #4✅ pic.twitter.com/Ywh5FGyQKw
— Cam Brown6️⃣ (@Freakyy6ix) January 9, 2024
“It’s been interesting… Catch Y’all on the flip side ! #4✅” His message read.
Although Brown’s goodbye was less obvious than Coughlin’s, neither player seemed overly confident that they’d don the Giants’ blue again with free agency approaching. And maybe there’s a reason for that.
Like Coughlin, Brown was a special teamer at heart — with 1,328 career snaps in that department. He logged even less defensive snaps than his seventh-round counterpart, with just 35 total tackles and two forced fumbles.
It just so happens that long-time special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey was relieved of his duties on January 8. Perhaps, a couple of his top contributors plan to go with him — or get left behind as a new coordinator comes in and changes things around.
After all, McGaughey had been with the Giants since 2018. That means youngsters like Coughlin and Brown spent all four seasons learning inside his unit.
Giants Face Key Special Teams Decisions in 2024
After announcing that the organization would be going a different direction, Giants head coach Brian Daboll addressed both McGaughey and former offensive line coach Bobby Johnson.
“I want to thank those guys for what they’ve done the last two years,” Daboll said. “This is the hard part of the job; I have a lot of respect for them. Just felt we were going to move in a different direction.”
He added that “these were private conversations, but I do respect both of those guys and what they’ve done the last two years, their commitment to the team, [and] their work ethic.”
Along with the coordinator decision, it’s fair to wonder what the Giants will do at positions like kicker and returner. Graham Gano will be returning from knee surgery at age 37, while returner Gunner Olszewski must still be re-signed.
The latter did well after signing with Big Blue on October 23. A former All-Pro of the New England Patriots, Olszewski averaged 11.9 yards per punt return with the Giants on 23 attempts. That included the Week 17 touchdown versus the Los Angeles Rams.
Having said that, Olszewski did not return kickoffs in New York, making him somewhat one-dimensional.
Gano was a very poor 11-for-17 on field goals in 2023 — although he appeared to be kicking through injury. The veteran is under contract until the 2027 offseason according to Over the Cap.
With that in mind, the Giants would have a much better opportunity to cut him loose in 2025 rather than 2024 to due a dead cap charge over $9 million next year.
