Those were significant hurdles that were cleared, but Golladay still left the facility without a deal. He will reportedly remain in the area for now, while a source said his agents will continue to talk to the Giants about a contract.
That, though, could be a significant hurdle, too. One report on Friday already suggested the ex-Lion was looking for a contract worth $18.5 million per year. That would seem to be way out of the Giants’ price range, even if they were able to clear enough salary cap room. It would also be out of line with a cratering market for free-agent receivers. So far, no receiver has gotten a deal bigger than the three-year, $37.5 million contract the Jets gave Corey Davis – a contract worth $12.5 million per year.
For the moment, though, the Giants seem to be Golladay’s most serious suitors. He did visit the Chicago Bears before coming to New Jersey, but he obviously left there without a deal, too. He also reportedly had a one-year offer from the Cincinnati Bengals. And while he was visiting the Giants, there was a report that the Baltimore Ravens were trying to lure him for a free agent visit, though that was later disputed by another report.
The Giants do have the ability to clear enough cap room to offer Golladay a significant deal, perhaps similar to what the Jets gave Davis. It’s also possible Golladay could opt for a one-year contract that would give him another shot at free agency next March when the salary cap would presumably be much higher.
The Giants, though, were well aware of the financial parameters before they brought Golladay in for a visit. So the fact that they were still talking on Friday night appeared to be a very good sign.
The Giants, of course, could really use the 6-4, 214-pounder who was widely considered the top receiver available on the market. They are desperate to add weapons to an anemic offense and help out their struggling, young quarterback, Daniel Jones.
So they were optimistic, a source said, when Golladay arrived on Thursday evening. He went straight to the Giants facility, according to a source familiar with his itinerary, and took a rapid COVID-19 test. As soon as the negative result was confirmed, he went into the Giants’ offices to be introduced to various members of the organization. Then, Giants officials took him to dinner before he went back to his hotel.
On Friday morning, Golladay went to the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan for a physical exam, presumably including an MRI on his hip. That was a big area of concern for the Giants since a hip flexor injury cost him the final nine games of last season. When that was over, he returned to the Meadowlands for several meetings, including with Gettleman and Judge.
Those face-to-face meetings were considered to be as important as his physical exam, because as interested as the Giants were, they had big questions about his character, according to a source. There were issues during his final weeks with the Detroit Lions, and Judge in particular wanted to make sure the 27-year-old would be a good fit in the “culture” he’s trying to build.
Whatever concerns they had, though, were apparently eased during the time they spent with Golladay. And that cleared the way for serious negotiations to begin. Those talks are expected to continue at least until Saturday, especially while Golladay remains in town.
What happens next will depend on how successful those talks are.
