Jason Garrett, NY Giants are misusing Kenny Golladay

Kenny Golladay has made a minimal impact on the NY Giants’ offense, as coordinator Jason Garrett comes under fire after three disappointing games to open the season

When the NY Giants signed Kenny Golladay, guaranteeing the free agent wide receiver $45 million over the next four years, conventional wisdom suggested the organization splurged on the top player available to give third-year quarterback Daniel Jones a deep-threat to open up the offense.

Three weeks into the regular season, that hasn’t materialized.

Golladay is currently averaging a career-low 15 yards per reception, and his air yards are down to 24 on his 11 catches, from 28 in 2019 — his most recent full-healthy season.

While Jones is off to the most efficient start of his career, offensive coordinator Jason Garrett and the NY Giants have not asked him to push the ball downfield, despite now having an offense that boasts Golladay and Darius Slayton’s speed on the perimeter.

Jones ranks fifth in the league, averaging 5.7 air yards per attempt, but 10th in passes that travel more than 10 yards (35), 23rd in passes that travel more than 20 yards (seven), eighth in passes that travel more than 30 yards (four), and he’s only completed one pass that travels more than 40 yards, so far.

So, where are Golladay’s big plays?

“I mean, I don’t really have an answer to that,” Golladay told reporters Wednesday.

Whether it comes down to usage, play calls, or Jones’ target hierarchy (only Sterling Shepard’s 22 targets outpace Golladay’s 19), the Giants aren’t maximizing Golladay’s abilities.

That would seemingly come down to Jason Garrett’s hyper conservative play calling.

"“At the end of the day,” Golladay said. “I’m going to run what the guys want me to run. I just look at it as whenever my number is called, I just want to go out there and make the play. If it’s short or long, I‘ve just got to go out there and make the play. That’s my mindset.”"

Maybe it’s time for Garrett’s mindset to change, or the Giants to hand play calling off to someone who understands how to maximize the offense’s weapons.

Matt Lombardo is FanSided’s National NFL Insider and writes Between The Hash Marks each Wednesday. Email Matt: Matt.Lombardo@FanSided.com.