Kenny Golladay is a bonafide top wide receiver available in 2021 NFL free agency, so which NFL teams would make sense as landing spots?
Now that 2021 NFL free agency is right before us with the franchise tag deadline behind, there are still big names available on the market, one of which is wide receiver Kenny Golladay. After the Lions elected not to use the tag on him, he stands as hands-down the best free-agent receiver in a strong class.
Since the Lions drafted Golladay as a third-round pick in 2017 out of Northern Illinois, he’s proved to be a tremendously valuable offensive asset. He flashed his potential as a rookie (28-477-3) but really showed out in his second season with 70 receptions for 1,063 yards and five scores. The best year of Golladay’s career came in 2019, though, as he caught 65 balls for 1,190 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Unfortunately, this past season was marred by a hip injury that both kept Golladay off the field and limited him in some games. In five outings, he had 20 receptions for 338 yards and two touchdowns.
Even coming off that type of year, though, Golladay is enticing for any team in need of wide receiver help. When healthy, the 6-4 wideout is a versatile threat that can break off big plays but also offer value at other levels of the field.
So which teams should be in on him after the Lions didn’t levy the tag on the wide receiver? We’re breaking down seven landing spots in 2021 NFL free agency for Kenny Golladay.
Kenny Golladay free agency landing spot No. 7: New York Jets
This should be an offseason in which the New York Jets are hitting the reset button in a big way. They’ve already done so on the sidelines by hiring head coach Robert Saleh but the roster is the next focus. Sam Darnold could be traded and a new quarterback brought in. And whichever quarterback does take up the mantle will need some help.
Denzel Mims struggled to stay on the field as a rookie but played well when he did manage to get healthy. And Jamison Crowder has been a fine possession threat in the slot. The overall outlook at wide receiver, however, is dismal. Adding Golladay would rectify that as the Jets would be getting a pass-catcher who offers true WR1 traits and helps everyone on the offense be at their best.
Kenny Golladay free agency landing spot No. 6: Jacksonville Jaguars
Speaking of teams making a change at quarterback in the 2021 offseason, there is less mystery when it comes to the Jacksonville Jaguars and their plans at that position. Armed with the first-overall pick, it would be a stunner if Trevor Lawrence wasn’t heading to Duval County at the end of April. But the situation Lawrence is walking into could undoubtedly be improved.
Jacksonville has the most available cap space in the league this offseason, per Over the Cap, and should be able to be aggressive on the NFL free agency market. Golladay would be a great asset for them as they usher in their all-world quarterback prospect to the pro ranks. Pairing him with D.J. Chark would give Lawrence and the Jags a viable 1-2 punch they can rely on in the passing game.
Kenny Golladay free agency landing spot No. 5: New England Patriots
The New England Patriots provided a bit of a shock prior to the start of NFL free agency as they re-signed quarterback Cam Newton to a one-year deal on Friday. That doesn’t preclude them from adding another quarterback in free agency or the draft but it does mean they’re likely to at least try to run it back with Newton in 2021. To do so properly, though, they must get the former NFL MVP some help.
Suffice it to say that the Patriots might have the worst wide receiver room in the league right now. N’Keal Harry has been a first-round bust and Jakobi Meyers is the only player of consequence among the pass-catchers right now. They need a player like Kenny Golladay to come in and be the true top target to get this offense to some level of competency if they are to have any hopes of earning a playoff spot this season.
Kenny Golladay free agency landing spot No. 4: New York Giants
The days of the New York Giants wide receiver corps scaring opponents have long since gone. Odell Beckham Jr. has been out of the Big Apple for a couple of years now and, though Darius Slayton has flashed, the remnants of the pass-catchers leave a lot to be desired. That’s not a good situation for the development of young quarterback Daniel Jones, which the G-Men must be looking to change.
After another disappointing season, there are growing murmurs that Jones might not be the future for New York. To make that statement definitively, though, the Giants have to exhaust every opportunity to give the quarterback the chance to succeed. Signing Golladay would be something in that mold, a move to give Jones a top-tier wide receiver option that, if he’s the real deal under center, could unlock the potential that made him a top-10 pick.
Kenny Golladay free agency landing spot No. 3: Indianapolis Colts
Trading for Carson Wentz following the retirement of Philip Rivers is a big swing by the Colts this offseason. The obvious hope within the organization is that reuniting Wentz with his former offensive coordinator and now-head coach Frank Reich can salvage his career after witnessing his precipitous fall from grace in Philadelphia.
While the coaching situation could help Wentz, the Colts also need to think about who he’s throwing to. T.Y. Hilton could depart in free agency, which would leave young Michael Pittman Jr. and complementary pieces (ones who have struggled with health, too) around him as the options. Thus, adding Kenny Golladay would behoove Indianapolis, giving the unit a massive boost and a quality option they’re currently lacking among pass-catchers.
Kenny Golladay free agency landing spot No. 2: Miami Dolphins
No one ever said the Miami Dolphins would be built in a day when they began their massive rebuilding effort but it would hard to say that they aren’t ahead of schedule. Head coach Brian Flores has helped construct and coach up a defense to being one of the top units in the league. Now the task at hand should be getting the offense to that level as well.
My belief has long been that Miami isn’t going to trade for Deshaun Watson and will, instead, stay the course with Tua Tagovailoa. But no matter who’s at quarterback, the Dolphins need a game-changer at wide receiever. Pairing Kenny Golladay with DeVante Parker would be one avenue to go about accomplishing that. The former Lion would add versatility to the unit while also keeping the downfield element and, overall, give the offense a bit more juice than they’ve had recently.
Kenny Golladay free agency landing spot No. 1: Baltimore Ravens
If there’s a quality wide receiver, particularly one that has true No. 1 traits, on the market, the Baltimore Ravens should be interested. We’ve seen quarterback Lamar Jackson do remarkable things on an NFL field as he won NFL MVP in 2019 but his progression as a passer still hasn’t come as far along as some would like. And part of that is the limited options he has to work with.
Marquise Brown actually came along quite well in the 2020 season but he lacks the body type and versatility to be a No. 1 option. Outside of that, the Ravens have been banking on replacement-level pass-catchers with Jackson. They can change the face of the offense in an instant with Golladay, though. His big frame would aid Jackson as his accuracy continues to come along while also retaining the ability to go deep. Moreover, he’d open up the field for Hollywood Brown and give Baltimore a fully formed offensive attack.