Kenny Golladay the latest Giants receiver possibly on market for active GM Joe Schoen
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Joe Schoen has been “open for business,” in his words, pretty much since the day he took the Giants’ GM job in January.
His simultaneous tasks were to improve Daniel Jones’ supporting cast in the short term while rebuilding the roster for sustainable, long-term success.
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Juggling both is not easy. Neither is finding takers for assets a GM wants to offload.
The Giants’ receivers have come into focus since the spring as the position group Schoen has tried to turn over unsuccessfully for 2022.
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Kenny Golladay, who is unhappy after a Week 2 benching, is only the latest receiver caught in Schoen’s crosshairs.
A Monday report by NFL.com presented scenarios that the Giants might find amenable to offload the disgruntled veteran. The report noted that the Giants might be willing to eat the bulk of Golladay’s expensive contract to get rid of him in exchange for a late-round pick.
It amounted to an invitation for the NFL’s other 31 teams to call. Time will tell if anyone does. The reality is that while Schoen has looked to drum up action on his receivers, he hasn’t found any takers yet this year.
The Giants made calls looking to trade Kadarius Toney in the spring for all the reasons reinforced during Toney’s injury-filled spring, summer and early season. No one was going to pay big for a player with baggage, especially once word got out.
The Giants also sought a market for Darius Slayton in the spring and summer, eventually giving the receiver a paycut to stay on the team. Again, they couldn’t find a meaningful return, especially because teams expected him to be released at the end of camp anyway.
Schoen drafted Kentucky gadget receiver Wan’Dale Robinson in the second round in April, reinforcing a planned turnover at the position.
The Giants also have shown consistent interest in Cole Beasley, according to ProFootballTalk, though he recently signed with the Buccaneers.
Truthfully, the Beasley-Brian Daboll Bills connection always made his signing with Big Blue a possible or even likely fit. The Giants just haven’t had any money to make it happen, nor were they supposed to be a contending team. So that union hasn’t happened — at least not yet.
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Then there is Golladay, who said respectfully but sternly that “I should be playing regardless” after seeing only two snaps in the Giants’ win over the Panthers in Week 2.
The reality is that Schoen collaborates with Daboll on the Giants’ lineups each week.
They played Golladay in the final preseason game with mostly backups, which raised eyebrows and drew a no-comment from Golladay leaving the locker room in August.
Then they benched Golladay against the Panthers despite giving the receiver positive feedback on his work ethic.
Golladay’s role was expected to increase in Monday night’s NFC East battle with the Dallas Cowboys, as the Giants looked for their first 3-0 start since 2009.
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Still, if he produces, it’s possible Schoen might use that production to try and support his argument for another team to take Golladay off his hands.
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The obvious long-term plan here is to dramatically alter and upgrade the weapons at the Giants quarterback’s disposal. The only question is how long it will take Schoen to do it.
Defensive lineman Leonard Williams missed a game due to injury on Monday for the first time in his NFL career. A sprained MCL in his right knee kept him out. Williams had played in 114 consecutive games from 2015-22 for the Jets (71) and Giants (43) prior to Monday’s scratch.
The Giants’ other inactives were WR Toney (hamstring), WR Robinson (knee), CB Aaron Robinson (appendix), CB Nick McCloud (hamstring), CB Justin Layne (hamstring) and healthy LB Tomon Fox.
Toney’s start to his second NFL season: In Week 1, seven snaps and two rushes for 23 yards. In Week 2, 28 snaps and two catches for zero yards.
Kayvon Thibodeaux and Azeez Ojulari were both active Monday for the first time this season. Thibodeaux, this year’s No. 5 overall pick out of Oregon, made his NFL debut.
The Cowboys’ inactives were QB Dak Prescott (right thumb), WR Michael Gallup (knee), S Jayron Kearse (knee), TE Dalton Schultz (knee), OL Connor McGovern (ankle), OLB Luke Gifford and CB Nahshon Wright.