When Gunner Olszewski was carted off the practice field on Friday with a torn Achilles tendon, the New York Giants lost a valuable player who has been a solid punt and kickoff returner during his career and can be used as an emergency wide receiver.
The most difficult part of replacing Olszewski will be making up for his ability to capably handle both punt and kickoff returns.
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Let’s look at players on the current roster who could fill one or both roles.
Calvin Austin
The 5-foot-9, 162-pound former Pittsburgh Steelers fourth-round pick was signed this offseason to be a pass-catching weapon for Jaxson Dart. The 27-year-old, though, seems like he would be first in line to assume Olszewski’s punt return duties.
In three seasons with the Steelers, Austin averaged 8.9 yards on 72 punt returns, with one touchdown. Austin has never returned kickoffs.
This might be cheating. If Banks is on the 53-man roster, and I believe he will be, it will be shocking if he is not one of the regular kickoff returners.
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After never having done it, he adapted easily to that role in 2025, averaging a stunning 32.7 yards on 19 returns. Punt return is a completely different skill, and punts are much harder to catch than kickoffs. As easily as he took to kickoff returns, though, would the Giants at least be willing to see if he could do the same with punts?
Tyrone Tracy
If Tracy is going to be RB2 and get fewer touches on offense than Cam Skattebo, using him as a primary returner makes sense.
Tracy did a smidgen of that the past two seasons, returning eight kickoffs for an average of 24.1 yards. He has worked out as a punt returner, but never done that in the NFL. He did return three punts at Purdue in 2023, along with 16 kickoffs. That might be something worth exploring.
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I can hear the screams of “NOOOOOO!!” at the mere mention of the possibility. Yes, I do remember that Gray muffed one of the two kickoffs he attempted to return last year.
Gray, though, has to be considered a possibility. He is on the roster, and has done both jobs. Admittedly not well, but he has done them. In 2023, he returned seven punts for an average of 4.0 yards. He has averaged 24.2 yards in his career on 27 kickoff returns.
Gray’s problem has been ball security. He has six fumbles in his career. Most, if not all, as a returner.
Damon Bankston
Bankston is an undrafted free agent running back, and if he is going to make the roster kickoff return might be his ticket. He averaged 36.2 yards on 12 kickoff returns with two touchdowns for New Mexico State in 2025.
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Gipson can be a dynamic return man. Over three seasons with the New York Jets and Philadelphia Eagles, Gipson averaged 9.1 yards on 74 punt returns and 25.9 yards on 51 kickoff returns. Unfortunately, Gipson has a habit of fumbling the football — 12 in 157 career touches as a returner, receiver, and rusher — and that cost him jobs with both the Jets and Eagles.
Would John Harbaugh gamble with a player who has averaged one fumble every 13 touches during his career?
I don’t think of the veteran running back as a dynamic kickoff return option, and before last season he had only returned four kickoffs during his NFL career. The Giants asked him to do it at times in 2025, though, and he returned 12 kickoffs for an average of 26.1 yards.
Out of necessity, could the Giants turn to him again?
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