In addition to releasing the fan-favorite punter, the Giants executed a rare trade for a punter, giving up a conditional seventh-round pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for Brad Wing. The Steelers were going to have to cut either Wing or P Jordan Berry, so they do well to get something for one of them. Weatherford, a key member of the Giants’ Super Bowl champions in February 2012, was released hours after punting in the preseason finale against the New England Patriots.
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Even if a team doesn’t sign him prior to the 2015 campaign, Weatherford will undoubtedly be one of the top candidates to be brought in if and when a punter gets injured.
Weatherford, who also played for the Jets and Saints, was in decline for the past two seasons.
Coughlin thought so highly of Weatherford that he refused to answer any questions about his new punter.
Coughlin speaks to all of the players the Giants part ways with, and he’ll have a full schedule of those chats this weekend as the team reduces its numbers to 53 by the Saturday deadline.
He has a career average of 44.5 yards per punt and a respectable net average of 39.5.
Berry went to Eastern Kentucky, but after not landing a spot on an National Football League roster past year returned home to Australia. He also was the holder on kicks.
“I feel like I had him a little bit on that throughout camp”, said Berry. As a rookie last season, Wing punted 61 times for the Steelers, averaging 43.7 yards (38.8 net), with 20 punts inside the 20-yard line. He’s had some good ones and he’s had some that aren’t so good.
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Weatherford was popular in the area for his charity work.
