There is a certain sense of a fan base when a visit like this takes place. The player arrives, meets who to meet, sees what to see, the team picks up the player’s vibes, and if all goes well, there’s this plea:
Don’t let him out of the building without a contract.
Does that happen to the Giants and Kenny Golladay?
The talented wide receiver will meet with the Giants at their team facility on Thursday evening, an indication that there is real interest on both sides. However, Golladay was reportedly in Chicago on Wednesday to meet with the Bears, and there are rumors that the Bengals have already bid him on a one-year deal. It is premature to assume that Golladay is in high demand as he has been on the open market since Monday and has not yet found a new football house despite his talent and production.
The Giants will do their due diligence. COVID-19 will be tested and then Golladay will receive medical training. He played in just five games last season and suffered a hip flexor injury, which needs to be thoroughly investigated. Golladay will meet Joe Judge and the offensive coaches as well as speak to CEO Dave Gettleman.
It’s not that the Giants didn’t have previous information about Golladay. They recently hired Kyle O’Brien as a senior hiring manager. O’Brien has spent the past five years with the Lions so he can give the Giants a peek at Golladay on and off the field.
If everything checks out, the Giants – who have already had preliminary contract talks – are expected to make an offer. The belief on the road to free trade was that Golladay would cost as much as $ 20 million a year. That will not happen. Figure $ 15 million a year is closer to the goal the Giants must achieve unless both sides believe a one-year deal makes more sense. Will Fuller, one of the other top receivers available, signed a one-year contract with the Dolphins. Miami was considered a possible destination for Golladay.
Obviously, this isn’t a slam-dunk decision for the Giants, otherwise they would have already had serious contract talks and tried to sign Golladay without a visit. Just to be clear, Golladay isn’t a slam-dunk around the league, otherwise someone out there would have delivered a deal four days into the trial that he can consider and sign.
Why the fuss for Golladay? The 27-year-old target led the NFL with 11 touchdown passes in 2019, has two 1,000-yard receiving seasons, and would give the Giants the length and span they miss in their wideouts. Golladay would be the perfect complement to Sterling Shepard in the slot and Darius Slayton in the width. The Giants also took a kite on John Ross this week, signing the speed demon (and busting out with the Bengals) on a one-year deal.
“This is a total compliment, he’s a poor man’s DeAndre Hopkins,” an NFL source who is closely watching the Lions told The Post, referring to Golladay. “He’s not a great divorce, Hopkins can’t divorce, but he just catches every ball that comes his way.”
According to Pro Football Focus, Golladay’s 39 disputed catches on passes of 10 yards or more are the most in the NFL since 2018.
This year’s NFL Draft is jam-packed with receivers, but the Giants only have six picks and would rather not end up in a corner with the overall No. 11 roster. Their need for playmakers is solved when they add Golladay and his visit could make all the difference.