Even though the New York Giants are 2-0, there's an elephant in the room they have to address sooner or later. The nature of Kenny Golladay's contract -- and his lack of playing time over the first two weeks -- has overshadowed New York's first 2-0 start in six years, with Golladay getting just two snaps in Sunday's win over the Carolina Panthers.
Since it costs more for the Giants to cut Golladay than to keep him, he's on the roster. But head coach Brian Daboll doesn't have to play Golladay while the Giants are paying him $21.15 million this season -- and he's doing just that.
Golladay played just two snaps Sunday, and he's not pleased over the development.
"I don't agree with it," Golladay said at his locker Wednesday afternoon, via SNY. "I should be playing regardless. That's a fact."
Golladay has just two catches for 22 yards on the season, but saw his snap count diminish from 46 in the season opener against the Tennessee Titans to just two against the Carolina Panthers. After Sunday's win, Golladay wasn't in the locker room and his locker was cleaned out. The Giants were playing at home.
Golladay made the the Giants by default after a poor preseason, as the 28-year-old wideout has the largest cap hit in the league at his position. The Giants would face a dead cap hit of $35.6 million if they cut Golladay, meaning it would cost them $14.45 million to remove him from the roster.
Since the Giants are caught between a rock and a hard place, Golladay was hoping to make the best of it by playing. Almost as if the Giants would try to justify the contract, but clearly that is not the case with this new regime. The Giants' brass doesn't owe Golladay anything. They didn't sign him to that contract.
"I'm preparing like I'm going to be playing, but who knows," Golladay said. "The GM, head coach, all these coaches keep saying 'you do everything right, you handle yourself the right way.' It's a little confusing."
The Giants would save $7.55 million in cap space if they could find a trade partner for Golladay, but which team would take on that contract? Golladay may be stuck with just not playing in 2022.
