If there was one thing weighing on the mind of new Lions GM Brad Holmes, it was the Kenny Golladay contract situation.
According to reports, Holmes and the Lions front office considered a tag and trade involving the talented wide-out who eventually ended up signing a free-agent deal with the Giants worth $18 million a season over the next four years.
So why didn’t the Lions franchise-tag Golladay instead of losing him for nothing?
Holmes points to the “uncertainties” with the free agent market coupled with the Lions just entering a rebuild.
“Yeah, we did discuss it,” general manager Brad Holmes said during a video call on Monday afternoon. “We discuss it and we mulled over it. Guys, I wasn’t joking when I said he was at the forefront of my mind throughout the whole process. But we did discuss those options.
“There is some difficulty in terms of forecasting that’s involved, so that’s kind of why you probably may see (sign-and-trades) more prevalent in the NBA versus the NFL. It is possible, you can do it, but with how the market was shaping out with the depth, both in free agency and in the draft, we just felt to go the route of not tagging him.”
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The Lions were essentially looking at a $16 million price tag if they were to franchise Golladay who saw his worst season as a pro in 2020, in large part due to injury. Still though, if the Lions were to do this and not get the deal done, you’re saddled with a $16 million dollar player on a team who wasn’t doing anything in 2020 anyways, money that can be dedicated towards a player who could be here for a longer tenure.
Then there’s the fact that the draft is pretty deep this season when you look at the wide-out position, another factor that would be working against the Golladay trade market. With Ja’Marr Chase, Devonta Smith, and Jaylen Waddle all set to be drafted this year, the Lions like any other team in need of a receiver may be more prone to spending less money on a rookie than trading assets for a franchise-tagged player who may or may not return to form or sign a long-term deal with that respective team.
All things to consider, which is what Holmes seemed to do.
