Wide receiver Kenny Golladay of the Detroit Lions takes off his helmet before the game against the New Orleans Saints at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan, U.S., October 4, 2020. /CFP
The New York Giants have made another move in the free agency market, reaching a four-year, $72 million deal with former Detroit Lions wide receiver Kenny Golladay, reported ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Schefter also revealed that the deal contains $40 million in guaranteed money and can go up to $76 million with bonuses.
"It was kind of like a no-brainer and I'm glad it worked out," Golladay told reporters on Saturday. "Just the pieces on offense. Those guys actually kind of reached out to me and I liked the vision that coach Joe Judge had and [offensive coordinator] Jason Garrett, as far as the offense, and I was all the way in."
Since he was drafted by the Lions with a third-round pick in 2017, Golladay has played 47 games for the team, finishing with 183 receptions for 3,068 yards and scoring 21 touchdowns. He played the best season of his career in 2019 with 1,190 yards and 11 TDs, which earned him his first trip to the Pro Bowl.
Wide receiver Kenny Golladay (#19) of the Detroit Lions tries to get around the tackle of safety Marcus Williams of the New Orleans Saints in the game at Ford Field, October 4, 2020. /CFP
However, the soured relationship between Golladay and coach Matt Patricia and injuries changed everything. Golladay only played five games for the Lions and missed the last nine games of the season because of a strained hip flexor.
Despite that, Golladay still said he wanted to stay with the Lions, until the team traded their quarterback Matthew Stafford to the Los Angeles Rams. That deal became one of the reasons behind Golladay's decision to leave Detroit.
Giants quarterback Daniel Jones and safety Jabrill Peppers recruited Golladay as well. "[Jones] reached out. He just said how good of a player that he thought I was and I pretty much said the same thing about him. He also just said, you know, 'We're trying to do something great here,' and that's what I'm all about," said Golladay.
"I think he had heard it from coaches but wanted to hear how we saw it as players and how much we believed in it. I think finding the right fit in that sense was important to him. I can't wait to get out on the field and get to work with him," said Jones.