employed by the Raiders for over a year. The Giants apparently weren’t among them because they claimed Townsend off waivers today.After getting beaten..." />Skip to main contentclockmenumore-arrownoyesSilver And Black Pride homepageHorizontal - WhiteSilver And Black Pridean Oakland Raiders communityFollow Silver And Black Pride online:Follow Silver And Black Pride on TwitterFollow Silver And Black Pride on FacebookLog in or sign upLog InSign UpSite searchSearchSearchSilver And Black Pride main menuFanpostsFanshotsRaidersOddsAboutMastheadCommunity GuidelinesStubHubMoreAll 321 blogs on Horizontal - WhiteFanposts Fanshots Raiders StoriesScheduleRosterStatsYahoo Raiders NewsYahoo Raiders Team PageYahoo Raiders ReportYahoo Raiders Depth ChartYahoo Raiders TransactionsYahoo Raiders PhotosOdds About Masthead Community Guidelines StubHub ✕Giants claim punter Johnny Townsend off waivers from RaidersNew Gabe Jackson Jersey ,69commentsPDTShare this storyShare this on FacebookShare this on TwitterShareAll sharing optionsShareAll sharing options for:Giants claim punter Johnny Townsend off waivers from RaidersTwitterFacebookRedditPocketFlipboardEmailPhoto by Robert Reiners/Getty ImagesMany wondered how Johnny Townsend stayed employed by the Raiders for over a year. The Giants apparently weren’t among them because they claimed Townsend off waivers today.After getting beaten soundly by undrafted rookie AJ Cole, Townsend will compete with incumbent punter Riley Dixon.Related: AJ Cole knows competition at punter isn’t over just because Townsend is outTownsend was 32nd in the NFL in punt average (43.2) last season while Dixon was 11th (45.4). Dixon was also 7th in net averaged (41.8) while Townsend was 30th (38.3).Where the Giants would probably like to improve is in punts stopped inside the 20. Dixon had just 20 last season (26th) which is still three better than Townsend’s 17 (28th).Basically it comes down to Townsend being a rookie fifth round pick last season, so the Giants want to see if maybe he has made some improvements and can live up to his draft status. Most of his punts in the Raiders’ first preseason game were not great, but he did boot a 55-yarder and that may have been enough to earn him another look.Follow @LeviDamien Shane Lechler retired this week after sitting out the 2018 season. He didn’t have to call it quits, though, getting calls from the Vikings, Steelers and Chargers after the Texans cut him in favor of rookie Trevor Daniel on Sept. 1.鈥淚 had plenty of opportunities,鈥?Lechler said Monday, via John McClain of the . 鈥? . .I just didn鈥檛 want to do it anymore. I was content with 鈥業鈥檓 done.鈥欌€滾echler, 42 Donald Penn Jersey , finished his 18 seasons first in NFL history in yards per punt average at 47.6 and second in total yards with 68,676. He made seven Pro Bowls, earned six All-Pro nods and was on the NFL’s All-Decade Team for the 2000s.Could the Hall of Fame be the next stop for Lechler?He becomes eligible in four years and one day could join another former Raiders punter, Ray Guy, as the only players at the position with busts in Canton.鈥淭hat would be amazing,鈥?Lechler said. 鈥淚 think Ray got in 14 years with the Raiders. I got in 13. That鈥檚 27 years of punting in Oakland for the two of us.鈥淚f you make the Hall of Fame, you鈥檝e made the last team you need to make. I鈥檓 not going to lie to you. That鈥檚 something out of my control. I put in the work, and we鈥檒l just have to wait and see if it鈥檚 good enough.鈥