NFL Free Agency: New York Giants Sign Punter Steve Weatherford to 5-Year Deal

Steve Weatherford has signed a five-year $12.75 million contract with the Giants, a person familiar with the Associated Press has reported (via Washingtonpost.com).

Weatherford becomes the third franchise-tagged player to sign a long-term deal out of the 21 who were given the tag. He joins DeSean Jackson of the Philadelphia Eagles and Robert Mathis of the Indianapolis Colts.

In 2010 with the New York Jets, he set the all-time mark of punts inside the 20-yard line in a single season with 42. After the season, special teams coach Mike Westhoff declared that he wasn't good enough to punt for the Jets anymore.

In what can only be described as a head-scratcher, the Jets elected not to resign him.

After the failed Matt Dodge experiment—one of GM Jerry Reese's very few mistakes—the Giants picked up Weatherford from the Jets on just a one-year deal.

By dropping three punts inside the 10-yard line in Super Bowl XLVI against the Patriots, Weatherford set the all-time Super Bowl record. It was not a fluke performance, as he made it a habit of doing such a task all season long.

His Super Bowl performance was spectacular, and many give him credit for the Giants win, but he played a huge role in getting the Giants to the game.

In the 24-2 beat down against the Falcons, he averaged 40.8 net yards on his four punts. Two of those punts went out at the Falcons' 21-yard line and one going out at the Falcons' 10-yard line.

In the NFC Championship victory over the 49ers, he averaged 40.6 net yards on his 12 punts.

The Giants are a physical team that likes to eat time off of the clock and capitalize on good field position, so having a punter who can place the ball inside the opponents 20-yard line is very important. 

There's no doubt that he will be an important piece of the team for the next five seasons and maybe even longer.