Giants sign former Steelers punt returner Gunner Olszewski

After Sunday’s win over the Commanders, the Giants were in the market for a punt returner.

They signed Gunner Olszewski to the practice squad Monday, a source confirmed. The Steelers cut Olszewski last week to clear room for the return of wide receiver Diontae Johnson, who had been on injured reserve.

Olszewski doesn’t lack for confidence. After joining the Steelers in 2022, he faced the Patriots, his former team, and had a message for them.

“Any time you play the ex, you want to show out,” Olszewski said, via Steelers.com. “Any time I get the ball, I want to do something with it. Playing the old team, the team that didn’t want you, sure I want to go out there and show what I can do.”

 Giants rookie Eric Gray fumbled a punt but recovered the football  in the first half Sunday. After the Giants' defense forced a three-and-out to start the second half, veteran Sterling Shepard was back to return the punt. He muffed the catch, touching it at the Giants' 21-yard line, where Washington’s Dyami Brown recovered.

The Commanders drove 21 yards in six plays for a touchdown that closed the Giants’ lead to 14-7

Shepard was returning punts because Gray had a calf injury. Gray has looked unsteady fielding punts throughout the season.

That led Brian Daboll to open the door for a competition at punt returner.

“You’re always looking to put as good of guys back there as you can. [Gray] has competed. He’s worked hard. So, that's why he's back there."

Daboll did not rule out the Giants seeking outside options.

“I’d say we’re going to look at it here,” he said. “We’re going to look at it.”

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By Kimberly Jones

kimberly.jones@newsday.comkimjonessports

Kimberly Jones covers the Giants for Newsday, a beat she first worked in the early 2000s before joining the YES Network to cover the Yankees. She worked for the NFL Network for more than a decade and has been heard semi-regularly on WFAN.