4 recent NY Giants players who never lived up to the hype

2. WR Kenny Golladay

The Giants thought they had their WR1 when they signed Detroit Lions wideout Kenny Golladay to a four-year, $72 million contract in 2021. The signing came after Golladay was one of the best receivers in the league during his tenure with the Lions. In 2019, he was a Pro Bowler and the league's receiving touchdowns leader, finishing with 65 receptions for 1,190 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns.

While many Giants fans were excited about Golladay's potential, he failed to exceed expectations. Golladay finished the 2021 season with 37 receptions for 521 yards and no touchdowns in 14 games. He became highly overrated, with many Big Blue supporters questioning why they signed him for as much as they did the previous offseason. The Giants hoped the veteran receiver would improve in 2022, but that was not the case.

In 2022, Golladay was criticized for his lack of production. The veteran receiver had crucial dropped passes against the Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans and missed four games due to injuries. Through 13 weeks, Golladay had only four receptions for 51 yards and was benched in favor of Isaiah Hodgins, Richie James, and Darius Slayton. In Week 18, Golladay recorded his first touchdown of the season and as a 'Giant' on a 25-yard pass from Davis Webb.

After failing miserably with the Giants for two seasons, the organization released Golladay after the 2022 campaign. It's safe to say Golladay's contract was one of the worst NFL free-agent signings in recent history.