What Kenny Golladay brings to the table is exactly what the Giants need.
It’s exactly what they’ve needed since the days of another long, rangy, and physical wide receiver helped lead them to a Super Bowl.
The Giants paid a heavy price for Golladay’s services. Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reports that the deal is for four years and $72 million with $40 million guaranteed.
So, what exactly does Golladay, the former Detroit Lion, bring to the table for Big Blue? It’s more about what he brings to the table for third-year quarterback Daniel Jones.
The jury is still out on Jones after an uneven sophomore season. If the third year for an NFL starting quarterback is supposed to be the crucial year in their development, the Giants need Jones to have a big season.
With the addition of Golladay, Jones will have a 6-foot-4, 214 pound big-play receiver as a primary target. Golladay’s height makes him the tallest wideout on the depth chart for the Giants.
One of the strengths for Jones is his ability to throw the deep ball. With Golladay, it’s not so much his speed as much as it is his size which will stand out. He’ll make the tough catch in traffic and will be relied on to come away with 50/50 balls. Golladay has a 95.4 grade in contested catch situations since 2019, which is first in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus.
The Giants are getting a legit playmaker.
Since 2017, he leads the NFL in yards after catch (YAC) with an average of 16.77.
Golladay averaged 67.5 catches, 1,127 yards and eight touchdowns over the 2018-19 seasons. He made his first Pro Bowl in 2019 when he led the NFL with 11 touchdown catches and had a career-high 1,190 yards.
Because of his playmaking abilities, Golladay’s presence will also increase opportunities for fellow wideouts Darius Slayton and Sterling Shephard. When you add tight ends Evan Engram and Kyle Rudolph, both legit receiving threats, into the mix — opposing teams will struggle in coverage. Rudolph, the former long-time Minnesota Viking, signed a two-year deal to join Big Blue.
And let’s not forget the return of a healthy Saquon Barkley to the backfield. If you’re an opposing team’s defensive coordinator, you’re going to have sleepless trying to scheme against this offense.
The Giants were missing that one game-changing receiver in their passing attack. Signing Golladay gives Jones a full plate of options now in a crucial year for his development.
The flipside of the coin with Golladay is he’s coming off an injury-plagued 2020 season in Detroit. He missed 11 games with hamstring and hip issues.
This opened the door to a fair debate over if the Giants overpaid for him. Yes, there’s risk with this signing. There’s also, however, a high percentage for reward. If the Giants were going to make a big splash in free agency this offseason — someone who’ll help excel the development of Jones, this was the signing to make.
Let’s go back to 2005 and a second-year quarterback, with a famous last name, with championship expectations on his shoulders.
The Giants knew they needed a game-changing playmaker for Eli Manning to get the football. They went out and signed Pittsburgh Steelers star wideout Plaxico Burress. The pairing clicked for head coach Tom Coughlin as Burress caught 76 passes for 1,214 yards and seven touchdowns. He went on to become Eli’s go-to receiver for the next several seasons and caught the game-winning score in Super Bowl XLII.
Golladay’s signing means no more excuses for Daniel Jones… it’s go time.
Make no mistake about it, this is a make-or-break year for Daniel Jones as the starting quarterback for the New York Giants.
Yes, the Giants still have concerns on the offensive line. How general manager Dave Gettleman has address that, this offseason, so far hasn’t won over any of the critics.
However, heading into this season, second-year head coach Joe Judge will be banking on improved play across the board from Jones as his quarterback. Manning needed Plaxico to be his go-to receiver and, ultimately, it led to a Super Bowl. Time will tell if Golladay’s arrival will have a similar result.
Golladay, at 27 years old, is coming in at the ideal time for the 23-year old Jones. With an opportunity to solidify the foundation for this team’s offense for the next three to six years, the hope is he’s the missing piece for this team’s offense.
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