The New York Giants‘ offense was putrid in 2021. They ranked 31st in the NFL in points per game with a measly 15.2 average. The Giants’ offense struggled all season long to stay healthy and to put points on the board. Even the team’s most electric playmakers failed to live up to expectations, like wide receiver Kenny Golladay.
In the 2021 offseason, the Giants gave Kenny Golladay the bag. They signed him to a four-year, $72 million deal with a max of $76 million and $40 million guaranteed. Paying Golladay an $18M average salary, the Giants expected big things from their new number one receiver. Unfortunately, things did not go according to plan. KennyG played in 14 games, catching only 37 passes and 0 touchdowns. Not exactly a WR1 stat-line. However, there are reasons to believe Kenny Golladay will bounce back in 2022.
Kenny Golladay in Brian Daboll’s offensive scheme
Pro Football Focus believes Brian Daboll’s offensive scheme will maximize Kenny Golladay’s skillset. Daboll’s scheme in Buffalo utilized a lot of hitch routes. PFF ranks Kenny Golladay as the fourth-best wide receiver on hitch routes from 2019 to 2021.
Daboll was the offensive coordinator for a Bills‘ offense that was built around hitch routes. The Bills’ offense has gained 1,616 receiving yards from 162 receptions on hitch routes the last two seasons. Overall, Buffalo has gained 500-plus yards and 60-plus receptions more than any other team on hitches in that time. Luckily, Golladay has thrived running that route throughout his career. – PFF on Kenny Golladay
Using Kenny Golladay as a deep threat
In 2021, Kenny Golladay received only 14 targets on passes of 20+ yards, making up only 18% of his targets. Comparatively, Kenny received 36 deep targets in 2019 which made up 32% of his targets. His 628 yards on deep passes ranked second in the league in 2019 (PFF).
Golladay is a 6-foot-4, 214-pound wide receiver that can serve as an alpha dog in the Giants’ lineup. During his time with the Detroit Lions, Kenny was exactly that as he earned the nickname “BabyTron.” With the Lions in 2019, Golladay led the NFL in receiving touchdowns with 11 scores to go along with his 65 receptions and 1,190 yards. That was Kenny’s second season in a row topping 1,000 receiving yards.
The Giants have a true number one receiver on their roster. He is being slept on, but Kenny Golladay is a sleeping Giant. Head coach Brian Daboll will install a new offensive scheme that calls for more deep shots and more routes that maximize Golladay’s skillset. This will lead to a breakout season from the New York Giants’ 72-million-dollar-man.