The NY Giants spent big, and aggressively this offseason, to surround Daniel Jones with game-breaking talent at wide receiver, to fully evaluate just how high the third-year quarterback’s ceiling can be, and in hopes of pushing for a return to the NFL Playoffs.
Kenny Golladay was the prize of the free agent wide receiver class, and the NY Giants’ marquee offseason addition, with New York guaranteeing up to approximately $45 million over the life of his deal.
Golladay was one of the most consistent receivers in the NFL, when it comes to pulling down contested passes last season. That just might hasten Jones’ development, given his propensity for pushing the ball downfield, and at times, into trouble.
According to Pro Football Focus, Golladay hauled in 10 of 13 contested targets, for a catch rate of 76.9, which was second in the league behind only the Buffalo Bills’ Cole Beasley.
Having a big-bodied target, Golladay stands 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, who dominates in passes thrown into tight windows just might help Jones be more productive than his meager 11 touchdowns and 10 interceptions last season, and could help cut down on turnovers … Jones’ biggest barrier between progressing into a top quarterback from the average one he has been through his first two seasons.
Last season, Lions quarterbacks had a 119 passer rating when targeting Golladay, who dropped just two of his 32 targets, during an injury-plagued campaign.
Should Golladay stay healthy, he just might be the key to Jones taking the next steps in his development.
Matt Lombardo is FanSided’s National NFL Insider, and writes Between The Hash Marks each Wednesday. Email Matt: Matt.Lombardo@FanSided.com, Follow Matt on Twitter: @MattLombardoNFL