NEW YORK — Kenny Golladay, the only true No. 1 receiver on the free-agent market, is arranging a visit with the Giants, a source told the New York Daily News on Wednesday.
Golladay, 27, who played his first four NFL seasons for the Detroit Lions, has an offer on the table already from the Cincinnati Bengals, a source said. But that offer is a one-year contract, not a blockbuster long-term deal.
The Giants have interest, but they also have questions. And Golladay has interest plus incentive to create competition among suitors. So a visit is happening to see if there is a match.
The 6-4, 214-pound Golladay always was the top receiver on the board for Dave Gettleman and Joe Judge based on his talent and the Giants’ need on their roster. But this was never going to be an at-all-costs pursuit.
The receiver market mostly has remained depressed this week, so that favored the Giants’ effort to land the imposing Golladay at their preferred cost. Golladay’s visit now will allow the Giants to assess his health and his fit with their franchise.
NFL Network first reported Golladay’s plans to visit the Giants. ESPN first reported the Bengals’ offer. Sports Illustrated called Golladay’s one-year offer from Cincinnati a “prove-it-type deal.”
Golladay played only five games for the Lions last season due to a hip injury. But he had back-to-back 1,000 yard seasons in 2018-19. In 2019, he made 65 catches for a career-high 1,190 receiving yards and a league-leading 11 receiving TDs, also a career high.
The Giants-Golladay situation is fluid, but a meeting with New York’s doctors and the direct Judge should provide clarity quickly on whether Golladay and the franchise are right for each other.
It is noteworthy that the Giants want to meet Golladay in person first despite Judge’s Patriots connections to former Lions coach Matt Patricia and former Detroit GM Bob Quinn — and despite senior personnel executive Kyle O’Brien’s five-year Lions reign as Quinn’s right-hand man.
O’Brien also helped Quinn identify and draft Golladay in the 2017 third round out of Northern Illinois, so he knows better than most what unique talent Golladay brings to a team.
Ultimately, the Giants are one step closer to landing the best wide receiver in this year’s free-agent class, which is what they desperately need after an underwhelming offseason to-date outside of Leonard Williams’ expensive re-signing on Tuesday.
There are receivers who have landed significant deals already, led by Titans wideout Corey Davis’ three-year, $37.5 million contract with the Jets that includes $27 million guaranteed.
On Wednesday night, the Panthers’ Curtis Samuel landed a three-year, $34.5 million deal with the Washington Football Team.
But the receiver market mostly has been at a standstill as prices have come in low.
Plus, Davis and Samuel weren’t the players the Giants wanted or needed anyway. They are not No. 1 receivers.
Golladay is.
And if he’s everything else they’re looking for, soon he could be on their team.
