Is PK Marshall Koehn legitimate competition for Aldrick Rosas?

Can Marshall Koehn really take the New York Giants’ placekicking job away from incumbent Aldrick Rosas, who had a difficult rookie season a year ago? There is a belief that Rosas will have stiff competition for the job in 2018, and that it will come from a veteran signed during training camp or the preseason rather than Koehn.

Should we, however, be giving such curt treatment to Koehn? Let’s take a closer look at the 25-year-old as we continue our player-by-player profiles of the Giants’ 90-man roster.

2017 season in review

Koehn kicked in one game for the Cincinnati Bengals last season. He filled in for an injured Randy Bullock and made his only attempt, an extra point. He also had two kickoffs, one for a touchback.

Koehn kicked for the Minnesota Vikings during the 2017 preseason, going 2-for-3 on field-goal attempts with a miss from between 40 and 49 yards. Giants coach Pat Shurmur was Minnesota’s offensive coordinator last season. He got to witness Koehn make this kick:

Koehn did not fine NFL employment after his came in Cincinnati until the Giants signed him to a reserve/futures contract for the 2018 season.

2018 outlook

Back to our original question — can Koehn take the Giants’ placekicking job away from Rosas?

Koehn was in camp with the Miami Dolphins in 2016 and the Vikings last year, losing competitions both times.

The former Iowa kicker is going to have to be more consistent than he has been to have a real chance to win this one. His scouting report prior to the 2016 NFL Draft references a big leg for field goals, but concern about a nation-leading six missed extra points in 2015. When reporters saw Koehn kick on Day 2 of mandatory mini-camp, he badly hooked his first kick (from roughly extra-point distance) then made seven straight as the kicks got progressively longer.

Koehn, 6-feet, 200 pounds, is a good athlete. He played wide receiver and safety for a four-time state championship team in high school, and also lettered multiple times in soccer and wrestling.

Here is a tantalizing thought for those of you who like trick plays in the kicking game. Punter Riley Dixon was a high school quarterback, has an NFL pass completion and several running attempts to his credit during his college and pro careers. Koehn was an accomplished high school receiver. Could we see a Dixon to Koehn connection on a fake field goal?

Maybe. Both guys, however, have to make the team first.