Australian Brad Wing is moving to the Giants. Picture: Supplied Source: Supplied
AUSTRALIAN punter Brad Wing has forced New York Giants favourite Steve Weatherford out of the NFL side after being traded by the Steelers.
The Giants on Friday parted ways with Steve Weatherford, their punter since 2011, and added a younger, cheaper replacement in Wing, the New York Post reported.
Wing, 24, was an LSU teammate of Odell Beckham Jr. and Rueben Randle. 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.
t was a decent although hardly spectacular first year in the NFL and this summer, Wing was not going to win the punting derby in Pittsburgh with another Australian, Jordan Berry. The Giants sent a 2016 conditional seventh-round draft pick to the Steelers for Wing.
It is not a shock that Weatherford, 32, was waived, as Tom Coughlin recently more than hinted that the punting competition was far from settled even after cutting Robert Malone last Tuesday. At the time, Coughlin said the competition was ongoing, even though Weatherford was the only punter on the Giants roster.
“You’re not competing just against the guys here, you’re competing against the waiver wire,” Coughlin said.
Coughlin also did not praise Weatherford’s work this summer, saying: “Well, he’s been off and on. He’s had some good ones and he’s had some that aren’t so good.”
Wing has forced New York Giants favourite Steve Weatherford. Picture: Supplied Source: Instagram
This is a move based on performance and finances. Weatherford, one of the few remaining links to the 2011 Super Bowl-winning team, was set to be the sixth-highest-paid punter in the league, with a base salary of $US2.175 million ($3.14 million). His cap cost was to be $US3.075 million. The Giants did not think his punting matched his salary. Wing is scheduled to make $US510,000 in 2015.
A bodybuilder with a sculpted physique, Weatherford was a fan favourite, with his relentless social media presence, charitable works and community involvement.
This story appeared originally in the New York Post
Originally published as Aussie NFL punter New York bound
Source:: news.com.au