Besides his physical ability, the main reason why Kenny Golladay was long speculated as the main target for the New York Giants in free agency was how quickly he develops a connection with his quarterback. If Daniel Jones can meet the challenge and match Golladay’s pass-catching skills, he could silence his critics.
Optimism Is High for Kenny Golladay With the New York Giants
Optimism is high because Golladay is so smooth on the football field. His route running is just at a different level than the other contemporary receivers in the game today. Opposing defenses must prepare for a long afternoon ahead of them when Golladay’s name appears on the scouting report.
2019 was his breakout campaign with the Detroit Lions, playing in Darrell Bevell’s offense with Matthew Stafford under center. Golladay was targeted 116 times as he caught 65 passes for a career-high 1,190 yards and a league-high 11 touchdowns.
This upcoming season, Golladay is hoping the move to New York will add more of the same production to his career numbers. If so, then the Giants will have a bonafide No. 1 receiver in their lineup.
2021 Is Key for Jones’ Development as a Quarterback
The goal for Jones in 2021 is for him to get better in pass accuracy, decision-making in the pocket and awareness of where the pressure is coming from off the snap of the ball. For him, it is all about gaining the persona and confidence exhibited by the top quarterbacks in the NFL.
Improvement could be aided by Jones becoming more comfortable in Jason Garrett’s offense. That does not mean the system is complicated. But in 2020, Jones had little time on the practice field to get himself acclimated with the necessary reads in each offensive set. That should not be the case this season.
Giants Offense Needs to Change the Narrative
The 2020 Giants offense did very little to change the narrative of their struggles since 2016. The G-Men finished 31st in points scored, 31st in red-zone touchdowns and 29th in passing yards.
Granted, the offensive line failed to protect Jones at the start, but the unit played better as the season progressed. The real culprit of the dismal play was the Giants receiving unit. Collectively, they lack explosiveness off the line of scrimmage. At times, their play was unwatchable.
Changes had to be made to the unit. Out went Golden Tate and in came Golladay. The Giants need a No. 1 receiver who can complement the other wideouts in the passing game. This free agent signing allows Sterling Shepard to line up either on the outside or in the slot.
Garrett cannot afford another lackluster season with limited production from the passing game. If so, he could be looking for work elsewhere next off-season.
The Daniel Jones/Kenny Golladay Connection Looks Promising
In the recent pre-camp workouts, various media reports have put the connection between Jones and Golladay right where the coaching staff would want it to be before the start of training camp. The Giants are banking on this partnership continues to blossom moving forward.
What should get everyone excited is both players are smart and understand their roles in the offense. Training camp will be the place where they can get their timing down on certain pass routes. This will come in handy when Jones is trying to place the football in an area where only Golladay can make the catch.
Plus, the connection will help when Jones calls an audible at the line of scrimmage. No verbal communication is needed between the two as each player knows exactly what is expected of them on the play.
Signing Golladay may help Jones reach his potential as an NFL quarterback. Still, production has to be seen on the football field before opinions will change on the third-year signal-caller. The Giants are banking that this connection sizzles in 2021.
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