Fulton becomes third Giant in four days to retire

NEW YORK — One more retiree and the Giants will have a foursome to send out on a local New Jersey golf course.

Incredibly, Giants left guard Zach Fulton informed the team on Thursday night that he is retiring, too, becoming the third Giants player in four days to hang up his cleats. Linebacker Todd Davis, 29, decided to retire on Monday night. Center Joe Looney, 30, retired on Wednesday. And Fulton, 29, told the team he’s out on Thursday.

“He’s a guy that I didn’t want to see go,” Giants coach Joe Judge said of Fulton. “However, I respect his decision.”

All three were free-agent signings who Judge has spoken highly of. Davis and Looney had just signed last Saturday.

Fulton was signed in late March to a non-guaranteed, 1-year, $1.075 million deal with a $137,500 signing bonus. So he only cost the Giants the bonus money.

The most curious part of these players’ retirements, though, is that all three were competing for significant playing time on Judge’s roster when they quit.

The only other team going through something similar right now is the Las Vegas Raiders, but their

three players who retired were all clear backups: swing tackle Sam Young, backup RB Theo Riddick and backup LB James Onwualu.

Fulton was behind Shane Lemieux and Kenny Wiggins at left guard to open camp, but he was the first-team left guard on both Monday and Tuesday with Lemieux sidelined and Wiggins missing Monday’s practice and back Tuesday.

It is still early in camp, but Fulton had a chance to win a starting spot and play a lot if the eighth-year veteran (Chiefs, Texans) had turned in a strong training camp. The same went for Looney and Davis.

On Thursday night, Fulton told Judge and other Giants executives that his personal situation and health were significant factors in his decision to step away.

“Zach’s a guy that started a business in the offseason, he just had his son. His family is down in Texas,” Judge said. “This is an opportunity for him to get back. We talked a lot about the duration, a career. He indicated to us, hey listen, coming out of where he was last year, your body’s in a different point than when you’re younger.

“You get to the point to see, ‘Do I think I have it for 16 games?’ ” Judge said of Fulton’s rationale.” And you have to respect when these guys look us in the eye and say, ‘listen, I really wanted to see if I could push through it, but I don’t think my body’s at that point,’ and you can leave this point in the game with your health.”

Judge said the Giants have “left the door open for all three” players who retired this week if they change their minds.

Center Nick Gates, asked if it’s unsettling that the guy playing next to him might not be there the next day, said: “Can’t really worry about that. Just gotta attack each day and keep moving forward. It’s a business. Guys are in and out usually, and sometimes you don’t know who you’re gonna be playing next to.”

Gates said “these are personal decisions” for veterans with families.

“I get it,” he said. “They’re nine-, 10-year guys. They’re good guys. I know Judge said they’re welcome back whenever.”

For now, though, the retirements of Looney and Fulton decimate the Giants’ depth on the offensive line.

All of the Giants’ players on the interior especially, including right guard Will Hernandez and Lemieux, needed to be pushed in this camp. This line may be the key to the season, and this is not a good start.

“We’re a young group,” Gates said. “I think the young guys gotta step up and be leaders and take care of each other. Young guys just gotta step up, that’s all it is.”

Fulton