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Can WR Kenny Golladay Become Elite in 2020?

Can the fourth-year wide receiver place himself among the elite in the NFL this season?

John Maakaron

Wide receiver Kenny Golladay has the potential to become one of the elite receivers in the National Football league.

In 2019, Golladay put together one of the finest seasons of his career. He finished his third season with an NFL-high 11 touchdown receptions.

He played in all 16 games, and proceeded to record his first 10-plus touchdown season to go along with a career-best 1,190 reception yards.

He also tied for the league lead for the most TD receptions of 25 yards or more, according to Pro Football Focus. 

Just how much better can Golladay become? He has clearly emerged as one of the best young wideouts in the game. 

Now, the expectation should be for him to place himself directly into the “elite” tier with the likes of the Falcons' Julio Jones and the Saints' Michael Thomas.

Golladay's game is far from complete. 

If he is seeking to be compensated similar to the elite receivers in the league, he must continue to shore up the weaknesses in his game.

As Justin Rogers of The Detroit News writes,

"If you're looking for a wart to his game, Golladay isn't the most efficient receiver in the league. He hauled in just 56 percent of his targets in 2019, which ranked 58th out of 66 receivers with at least 40 catches. That figure is the result of a combination of the depth of his targets, his inability to get consistent separation and playing with three different quarterbacks last season."

Working with offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell for a second straight year should certainly allow Detroit's offense to continue to evolve. 

Golladay has a strong potential to reach elite status, and at just 26 years old, the organization will reap the rewards for many seasons to come. 

Assuming quarterback Matthew Stafford remains healthy for the full 2020 campaign, the offense has the potential to put opposing defenses on notice on a weekly basis. 

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John Maakaron
JOHN MAAKARON

John Maakaron has covered Detroit Sports since 2013. Brings a vast array of experience covering the Detroit Tigers, Detroit Lions, Michigan Wolverines, Michigan State Spartans, Detroit Mercy Titans, and Oakland University Golden Grizzlies. John brings a wealth of sports broadcast experience. In 2013, John had the vision to establish the Detroit Sports Podcast Network. Has recorded over 3000 podcasts analyzing Detroit Sports. In 2019, Sports Illustrated Media Group, a historical sports media outlet, partnered with Detroit Sports Podcast to provide daily Lions content for their growing and expanding digital media outlet. Our Lions content can also be read in the newspaper at The Oakland  Passionate about Detroit Sports and it is reflected in his coverage of the local teams!

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