Today will feel like Christmas for the Giants, but especially for Daniel Jones.
Happy Golladay. A big, big footprint for Dave Gettleman and Joe Judge. A big, big target for Danny’s Dimes.
Hiring Kenny Golladay now changes everything for Jones and the Giants. Jones now has more than a chance to fight to enjoy a season of comeback for Fighting Joe Judges … if his youth offensive line can protect him … if offensive coordinator Jason Garrett can orchestrate a friendly attack on the quarterback … and if Golladay, 27, can stay on the pitch longer than he did last season for Lions, when a hip flexor tormented him.
Yes Yes. But Golladay getting the green light from the Giants’ doctors is a hooray hip hip hip if there ever was one for Jones and the Giants, and immediately filled those in 1925 Giants Drive and beyond with the joy of Golladay.
So Jones doesn’t just welcome Saquon Barkley.
He welcomes a contested capture monster six feet tall and a deep threat.
There is no Catch-22 here. This was a move that absolutely had to be done once Leonard Williams withdrew his assault and the cost of Golladay fell to fit the Giants’ cap space.
He’s a culture guy because he’s quiet and humble, the anti-diva receiver. And he will block in the racing game. Jones will have a better chance of being Gettleman’s Eli Manning if Golladay can prove to be Gettleman’s Plaxico Burress.
Think about it: from 2005-08, Eli Manning was playing for 6-5 Burress and 6-3 Amani Toomer.
Jones, last season, was playing for 5-10 Sterling Shepard, 5-10 Golden Tate and 6-1 Darius Slayton.
Odell Beckham Jr. was an outlier: he could turn the house around and make catches with one hand at 5-11. The last time the Giants made it to the playoffs, Manning was playing for Beckham, 6-0 Victor Cruz and Shepard.
The quickest way to improve a young defender’s completion percentage is to reach a target with a large range.
This was Tom Coughlin in Burress:
“He’s a guy who has an imposing physical presence. And because he has the ability to be a long-ball threat, he is a guy who forces defenders to pay special attention to where he is. He’s a big target. He can catch the ball with his hands above his head, which places him well above most corners and most security guards. “
This was former Lions head coach Matt Patricia in Golladay:
“He is very long, he is big, he is definitely – for some of the fights he can get into, he creates an advantage from that point of view. He’s also a physical guy. He can play the big man in the receiving position, which is great. And again, just from the point of view of the range, it gives the quarterback a big target in the red area as well. “
Golladay had a hard time separating, but he has two seasons of 1,000 yards on his resume and 11 TD catches in 2019. Giants’ cornerback James Bradberry will tell you about when Golladay snatched an alleged interception from him and ran the ball for a first descent.
This was Bill Belichick in 2018 in Golladay: “He is a very explosive player, great hands, made some fabulous catches in games that we saw this year and last year on the sides and on the field. Putting your feet on the edge, chasing the catch. “
Bigger is always better for Gettleman, and he illustrated an affinity for the great receiver. He summoned Kelvin Benjamin of 6-5 pounds and 245 pounds in the first round in 2014 and Devin Funchess of 6-4 pounds and 236 pounds in the second round in 2015 as GM of the Panthers. Both had mixed success.
Barkley running the ball and catching it. Shepard operating out of the slot. Golladay, open even when it is covered. The NFC Least will be in play again. And this time, Daniel Jones will have someone who can reach out and grab him.