Today will feel like a Christmas for the Giants, but especially for Daniel Jones.
Happy Golladay. A great catch for Dave Gettleman and Joe Judge. A great, great goal for Danny’s Dimes.
The signing of Kenny Golladay changes everything now for Jones and the Giants. Jones now has more than one fighting opportunity to enjoy a season of advancement and innovation for the Fighting Joe Judges … if his youth offensive line can protect him … if offensive coordinator Jason Garrett can orchestrate a quarterback friendly offense … and if Golladay, 27, can stay on the field longer than he did last season for the Lions, when a hip flexor knocked him out.
Great yes, yes. But Golladay getting the medical green light from the Giants’ doctors is a hip horror if there ever was one for Jones and the Giants, and he immediately filled those on Giants Drive from 1925 and beyond with Golladay’s joy.
So Jones doesn’t just welcome Saquon Barkley.
A 6-foot disputed capture monster and a deep threat are welcomed.
There is no Catch-22 here. This was a move that had to be made absolutely once Leonard Williams withdrew his steal and Golladay’s cost was reduced to fit the Giants ’cap space.
He is a boy of the culture because he is calm and humble, the antidiva receiver. And it will block in the running game. Jones will be more likely to be Gettleman’s Eli Manning if Golladay can prove to be Gettleman’s Plaxico Burress.
Think about it: From 2005-2008, Eli Manning threw at the Burress 6-5 and the Amani Toomer 6-3.
Jones, last season, threw at 5-10 Sterling Shepard, 5-10 Golden Tate and 6-1 Darius Slayton.
Odell Beckham Jr. it was an atypical value: he could take a slope home and make catches with one hand on 5-11. The last time the Giants made the playoffs, Manning beat Beckham, Victor Cruz and Shepard 6-0.
The fastest way to improve a young quarterback’s finishing percentage is to hit him with a goal with a large catch radius.
This was Tom Coughlin in Burress:
“He is a boy who has an impressive physical presence. And because he has the ability to be a long ball threat, he is a guy who will force the defenses to pay special attention to where he is. It is a great goal. He can catch the ball with his hands on his head, which puts him well above most corners and most safety.
It was former Lions coach Matt Patricia in Golladay:
“He’s very long, he’s big, he’s definitely: for some of the clashes he can get into, he creates an advantage from that point of view. He’s also a physical man. He can play the big man in the receiving position, which “And, again, just from the point of view of the catch radius, it also gives the quarterback a great goal in the red zone.”
Golladay has had a hard time separating, but has two 1,000-yard seasons on his resume and 11 TD catches in 2019. Giants cornerback James Bradberry will tell you when Golladay snatched an interception from him and ran with the ball to a first bass.
It was Bill Belichick in 2018 at Golladay: “He’s a very explosive player, with good hands, he’s gotten fabulous catches in games we’ve seen this year and last year on the sidelines and on the pitch. Put your feet on the limits, run after the dam ”.
Bigger is always better for Gettleman and has illustrated an affinity for the big receiver. He drafted Kelvin Benjamin of 6-5, 245 pounds in the first round in 2014 and Devin Funchess of 6-4, 236 pounds in the second round in 2015 as Panthers GM. They both enjoyed mixed success.
Barkley running the ball and grabbing it. Shepard works out of the slot. Golladay, opens even when covered. NFC Least will be within reach again. And this time, Daniel Jones will have someone who can grab him and grab him.