Kenny Golladay has not provided any value to the Giants since signing a $72 million contract with the Giants in spring 2021. This season, Golladay will earn a $13 million base. Over two games in 2022, he has caught just two passes, thus averaging $7.5 million per catch.
The signing in 2021 came with high expectations and was considered a good move to secure a reliable WR1. Now, he is clearly a financial liability on the Giants balance sheet and losing playing time to hard-working undrafted free agents.
What happened to Kenny?
Why has he failed beyond comprehension? Nobody knows the answer here, but we can speculate possibilities.
Possibility #1 – Take the Money & Run
This is always a possibility. While many fans hope big-dollar free agent signings pay dividends for their beloved teams, sometimes players take the money and give very little effort once the ink has dried. And hey, who can blame them? At the end of the day, the goal for many (not just athletes) is to make as much money as possible. Once a contract is signed, the guaranteed money is theirs regardless of how the player performs. Perhaps Kenny’s will remain missing in action & his goals do not include championship runs and elevating the team’s success.
Possibility #2 – The System
Perhaps former Lions offensive coordinators, Jim Bob Cooter and Darrell Bevell knew how to utilize Kenny Golladay, and build a playbook based around his best qualities. While Jason Garrett was an atrocious offensive coordinator, there’s is no doubt KG was not put in a position to succeed. Since transitioning to Kafka, the team is still getting used to the new playbook. Kafka himself is trying to get a feel for how to use the talent on the roster. There is definitely a chance Golladay’s playing time will increase.
Possibility #3 – Lack of Interest
Football is a tough game, it can be downright grueling on one’s body, especially for a wide receiver who constantly gets tackled to the ground. Possibly, the hits, practices, training camps, workouts, and film room have taken a toll. Losing week in and week out can wash out the desire to play. He has been on a losing team since he was drafted by the Lions in 2017.
Possibility #4 – Personal Reasons
This is never a fun possibility to explore, but maybe there is something going on in Kenny Golladay’s life that is eating up his focus on the game. It’s common for anyone to have personal issues affect their work life. The same goes for NFL players. If this is the case, we certainly hope that Golladay gets the help he needs.
Possibility #5 – Injuries
While Golladay has not sustained serious injuries in the past, he has amassed several mid-level injuries. In 2021 alone, he suffered a chest rib sprain, knee strain, and hip strain. Did any of these injuries leave him on the sidelines for an entire season? No. But injuries do accumulate hampering performance. Football players experience this at hyper-speed. Perhaps constant injuries have left Golladay unable to perform at the level he used to.
Possibility #6 – He Hates New York
Could Golladay just dislike the organization or the region? Does ownership rub him the wrong way? Does he find the staff incompetent? Heck, he may dislike living in New York. The sports media isn’t nearly what it was in Detroit. He has to constantly field provoking questions from the media each day. While many of our favorite Giants players speak highly of the Giants, the fans, and New York, the city and team aren’t for everyone.
Possibility #7 – A Faze
This is the dream scenario, right? Golladay rebounds against Dallas, leads the NFC East in receiving, makes the Pro Bowl, leads the Giants to the Super Bowl, becomes a legendary hall of fame wide receiver, and we all completely forget he ever had a bad 2021 and two weeks in 2022. This is likely not the case. However, one could dream.
Conclusion
The answer as to why Kenny Golladay has failed miserably could be any of the above or a combination. That said, the answer is still a mystery. All we know is if Golladay continues to play this poorly, he will be cut in 2022 and the Giants will accumulate a large dead cap number. He will have gone down as the worst free agent signing in Giants history next to Nate Solder.
Kenny Golladay, where are you? Please come back. Please provide value. We, Giants nation, beg that you provide the value we all dreamed about when you signed the contract in 2021. We still want you to succeed. Make it happen!