Nick Gates’ three-year free agent deal with the NFC East rival Washington Commanders isn’t surprising considering how close he came to not being a Giant last season.
Gates was in tears in the Giants’ locker room early on the afternoon of Tuesday, September 6. Quarterback Daniel Jones crossed the room, hugged him and said a few words in private.
Gates had been informed just days before the team’s Week 1 opener in Tennessee that he was going to be released.
He was still rehabbing from his devastating compound leg fracture from 2021. He was being cut without a chance to prove he could still play in the NFL.
( The Giants bring back the battery of punter Jamie Gillan, long snapper Casey Kreiter )
In the next few hours, after some talk, the Giants’ plans changed. The team retained Gates, finally opening up his practice window and giving him a chance to prove he could still play.
Gates played in 10 regular-season games, eight starts, and played in both playoff games, helping the Giants to their first postseason appearance since 2016 and their first playoff win since 2011.
And on Monday, Gates agreed to leave for the Commanders, as reported by the Daily News and NFL Network, joining the franchise he broke his leg against in Week 2 of the 2021 season at FedEx Field.
A source confirmed that Gates is signing a three-year, $16.5 million contract with Washington that includes $8 million guaranteed and another possible $1.5 million in incentives.
And now he will face his old Giants franchise twice a year.
