Younghoe Koo likely to take over Giants kicking duties

There will be a kicking competition this week, and it is likely the outcome Sunday will be that the Giants sign Younghoe Koo from their practice squad, and he will handle the placekicking duties against the Chargers. 

The Giants added Koo on Tuesday, as veteran Graham Gano is dealing with a groin strain that forced him out of last week’s 22-9 loss to the Chiefs.

The only other kicker in the system is Jude McAtamney, who also is on the practice squad. 

Based on experience alone, it likely will be Koo coming out ahead in this derby.

In an eight-year NFL career almost exclusively with the Falcons, he has made 85.8 percent of his field-goal attempts, including a perfect 52-for-52 inside 30 yards and 52-of-56 from 30-39 yards.

He also has hit 29-of-40 from 50 yards or longer. Koo, 31, was a Pro Bowler in 2020 when he made 37-of-39 of his field-goal attempts.

He missed a 44-yarder in the opener this season, and the Falcons released him a week later. 

“You can tell just a little bit of — I’ve got to know him,’’ special teams coordinator Michael Ghobrial said. “There is an authentic confidence that you see with him, that the situation is not too big for him, and you see that amount to success. To me, it’s a no-brainer why he’s had so many game-winning kicks. There’s a level of confidence. He goes out there knowing that he can execute at a high level.’’ 

Yes, there is a level of confidence. 

“It’s in the work. It’s in the preparation. It’s not just like going out there and just like, ‘Oh, yeah, I got it,’ ” Koo said. “It’s a confidence I have in myself with all the work I put into my craft, mentally, physically, everything that comes with this job.” 

McAtamney, originally from Northern Ireland, is an extra practice squad player for the Giants, as he was signed as part of the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program.

He attempted and made one field goal last season for the Giants in his only NFL action. 

Koo, born in Seoul, South Korea, lived in Richfield, N.J., throughout high school.

---

---

He will need to get in sync quickly with holder Jamie Gillan, the punter, and Casey Kreiter, the long snapper. 

“There’s certainly always going to be an acclimation process to where he has to learn the way we do things here,” Ghobrial said. “Now, do I think that it could be a seamless transition for a guy that’s kicked seven years in this league? Yes, because he knows what to look for. He knows what he’s going to ask those guys to do. So, I think that that learning process has to happen, but it could happen fairly quickly.” 

---

WR Malik Nabers (shoulder) returned to practice on a limited basis, as did TE Theo Johnson (shoulder).

Both players sat out Wednesday.

LB Darius Muasau is expected to clear concussion protocol by the end of the week, which would allow him to play Sunday.

DT Rakeem Nunez-Roches (foot), DL Chauncey Golston (ankle), K Graham Gano (groin) and RB Tyrone Tracy (shoulder) did not practice.

NT Dexter Lawrence II is wearing a bulky protective brace on his left elbow.

He was seen flexing the arm and displaying discomfort in last week’s loss to the Chiefs.

“He gets banged around a little bit, but he’ll be okay,” head coach Brian Daboll said.