Kenny Golladay’s watch continued on Friday, while Giants fans were looking forward to hearing if the big receiver of the big games came to their team. And, more precisely, waiting to see if the giants, after meeting Golladay, were ready to sign up to bring him on board.
Golladay arrived at the Giants unit on Thursday afternoon for a visit that included dinner. The visit lasted until Friday night, when he met with Golladay’s head coach Joe Judge, offensive staff and also general manager Dave Gettleman. The giants wanted to bring Golladay to their building, check him out physically, and also figure out if it would be a suitable culture for a franchise that, along with the judge, isn’t just about talent.
The Giants had to undergo a medical check-up of Golladay, who played in just five games in 2020, missing two games with a hamstring problem and nine other games with a hip flexor injury. The giants sent Golladay to the Special Surgery Hospital for a checkup on Friday.
The visit ended with Golladay leaving the facility early Friday night but staying in the area overnight. The visit went well, according to a source, the giants apparently satisfied with what they heard from Golladay. Contract negotiations were ongoing and the Giants seemed confident that an agreement could be reached.
It’s not Golladay, the player, giving the Giants a break here. I know he will instantly become the missing physical presence in their passing game. They understand that Golladay is running on the field and the transport in steps from Daniel Jones would change the complexion of their attack. They also realize it’s not Randy Moss’ second coming. However, the Giants are also quite aware of the psychic noise of energy that a Golladay signature would inject into their fan base and no doubt into those who roam the halls and work in the building where the Giants work and practice. .
The giants insisted on a personal visit with Golladay, 27, because they wanted answers to questions they had about him.
The Giants had to investigate what fell last season, when Golladay injured his hip, in a November 1 loss to the Colts. He did not play, but was not put in the injured reserve, because the lions supported the hope of his return. It was speculated that Golladay, looking for a new contract, was not rushing to the field.
Darrell Bevell, Lions’ interim head coach last season, said the claim was unjustified. Asked if Golladay makes a business decision by not playing, Bevell told Detroit reporters, “I can be clear he’s not.”
A source told The Post that Golladay, in the 2020 season, turned down what was believed to be a long-term extension with the Lions for $ 18 million a year. Other top beneficiaries Amari Cooper, Keenan Allen and DeAndre Hopkins then signed new bids averaging at least $ 20 million a year. A source said Golladay is looking for annual compensation. He won’t get that in the free agency and probably won’t get close.
Golladay staged a media boycott last season that lasted more than a month. In October, he posted a picture on Instagram with the caption “That didn’t cost you!”. It was thought to refer to the fact that lions did not have a new contract. Not long after, he “liked” an NFL Instagram post saying that Detroit head coach Matt Patricia was fired.
The giants needed to hear what happened. Remember, the judge told Golden Tate to stay home on a road trip to Washington for what the judge considered selfish acts of the receiver. Tate’s wife complained about his use on social media did not help. Tate was released this season.
At the end of last season, Golladay broke his media silence and said: “I mean, everyone knows what I’m capable of. I wasn’t worried about having to play, man. I have to show people. People know who Kenny Golladay is, and I was really trying to make sure my body was right. I don’t want to go there and put bad things on the tape. “
The judge has had a relationship with Patricia since their years coaching together in Bill Belichick’s Patriots team. The judge can contact (and no doubt) Patricia about Golladay. Belichick also has Patricia as a resource. The fact that Giants and Patriots, two teams that entered the free agency in search of recipients, did not jump at the chance to sign Golladay, is telling. Golladay, considered by many the best receiver on the market, was not an early signing by anyone in the league is also eloquent.
This season’s offseason giants have added Kyle O’Brien to their personnel department and he is another source of information about Golladay. O’Brien spent the last five seasons with the Lions and was there in 2017, when Golladay was selected from Northern Illinois in the third round of the NFL Draft.