The New York Giants avoided complete disaster when it was revealed prized free-agent wide receiver Kenny Golladay’s hamstring injury was relatively minor.
Dan Duggan of The Athletic had the details on Golladay’s ailing hamstring.
Soft tissue injuries are notoriously tricky, though, so it’s anyone’s guess as to when Golladay will take the field again.
But this news is part of a larger narrative coming out of Giants camp. It’s pretty much been a disaster, and in an NFC East division that appears to be improving around them, the G-Men seem to be suffering from self-inflicted wounds that are setting them back.
Kenny Golladay was already struggling in training camp
It’d be one thing if Golladay was looking the part of a No. 1 receiver New York hoped it was getting in free agency. However, this was not the case.
A report from Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News detailed how Golladay wasn’t really clicking with quarterback Daniel Jones, wasn’t making tough, contested catches, or using his hands often enough to haul the ball in.
Granted, playing against this Giants defense is no easy task, but with Jones’ downfield throwing ability and Golladay’s skill set at tracking the ball and massive frame ideal for fending off defenders at the catch point, they should be more of a big play combination than they’ve proven to be to date.
Because Golladay and Jones are, at best, inconsistent with their chemistry and still adjusting to each other, they need all the reps they can get through the rest of camp and the preseason leading into Week 1. Any lost time in that span is just going to make New York’s sputtering offense lag behind from the jump.
Injury to Kenny Golladay isn’t the only adversity Giants have battled already
Speaking of Jones, the hand-picked, long-term successor to Eli Manning by general manager Dave Gettleman, his inability to hang onto the football and unsteady play through two seasons have raised doubts that he can be the face of the franchise.
Everything is set up for Jones to succeed, though — as long as everyone’s bought in to Joe Judge’s system. The no-nonsense former New England Patriots assistant seemed to inspire the players down the stretch last season, but let’s just say things haven’t been all rosy entering Year 2.
A brawl in which Jones wound up on the bottom of a pile-up of players led Judge to demand his players run sprints, do push-ups in a line and saw him go on a profanity-laden tirade after practice once coaches were dismissed.
Judge’s extreme reaction is understandable to some degree given the circumstances, yet some of his old-school methods and general demeanor could wear thin very fast if the Giants aren’t winning throughout a long 17-game season.
The Washington Football Team has one of the best defenses in the league and really ramped up their offense this offseason. The Dallas Cowboys are getting Dak Prescott back under center to lead an elite offense. Even the Philadelphia Eagles have hope as they try to rally around Jalen Hurts.
Training camp is supposed to be a time for optimism for all 32 NFL fan bases. Unfortunately for the Giants, they’ve actually had more reasons to be discouraged then encouraged thus far. Whether those ominous signs are ultimately overblown largely depends on how Jones and Golladay connect.
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