BROWN BOOT
Big Blue signs veteran kicker Bullock
The Giants’ presumptive kicker when they open their season on Sept. 11 in Dallas is now Randy Bullock. Big Blue signed the former Texan and Jet on Monday, with Josh Brown suspended for the season opener and under scrutiny for accusations that he repeatedly was physically violent toward his ex-wife.
The question now: Is Bullock a permanent replacement or a one-game fill-in for Josh Brown?
One interesting factor to consider: Bullock is eligible for vested veteran status this year, so if he is on the roster for Week 1, his season’s salary would be guaranteed. Given that, Bullock would be an expensive one-game substitute, even if he signed for the veteran minimum of $760,000, if Big Blue elected to cut him after the opener.
Since the news broke that Brown has been accused of repeated domestic violence, many have wondered if the Giants would cut the kicker. Certainly, Bullock’s signing fuels that speculation, though the other option on the Giants’ roster — Tom Obarski — didn’t garner much confidence when he missed a 27-yard field goal in Buffalo on Saturday. Obarski was waived Monday in a corresponding move to the Bullock signing. No matter what, the Giants need someone other than Josh Brown to kick field goals for them in the season opener.
Brown was hit last week with a one-game suspension by the league for violating the personal conduct policy. That appeared to be related to a May 2015 arrest for domestic violence assault. Brown was not charged for that arrest.
On Thursday, the Daily News first reported that the kicker’s ex-wife, Molly Brown, accused him of being physically violent toward her more than 20 times. The allegations of repeated violence were first made to police on the day of the May 2015 arrest and again a few days later in a lengthy interview with a detective, a court official and an advocate.
The Giants were at least aware of the May 2015 arrest when they re-signed Brown to a two-year, $4 million deal with $1 million guaranteed this offseason.
Head coach Ben McAdoo took heat last week because he had said in an interview shortly after he had been hired that he did not tolerate domestic violence from his team, and yet Brown had been re-signed.
Though McAdoo said he did not know about Brown’s arrest at the time he gave the interview, he said it didn’t change his view on the matter.
“My stance stays the same. I’m a father, I’m a husband, and my stance on personal conduct stays the way it is,” the head coach said. “Stays consistent, and it stays strong. But I think it’s important for an organization and the locker room to take it on a case by case basis.”
However, that was before the other accusations came to light, and McAdoo has since refused to address the matter. Owner John Mara and GM Jerry Reese also have declined comment.
The NFL indicated Friday that it only suspended Brown for one game because Molly Brown declined to speak with league investigators.