Detroit Lions Replacing Kenny Golladay Might Be Easier than Expected

Read more on why replacing Kenny Golladay may not be as difficult as expected for the Detroit Lions.

Among the key decisions the Detroit Lions will have to make this offseason is whether or not wideout Kenny Golladay deserves a long-term contract extension. 

The new front office could also make the decision to place the franchise tag on him or simply move on from him altogether.

If the organization decides to assign the 27-year-old the franchise tag, he would cost nearly $16 million against an already shrinking salary cap in 2021. 

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A long-term extension could spread out his cap hit over a longer period of time. However, Golladay's demands may exceed what the organization is willing to commit to a player that is coming off of a serious injury.

“Being honest, I’d rather get a deal done. But, if the franchise tag would come, I wouldn’t be able to do anything about it. So, yeah, for sure I want to get a long-term deal done," Golladay said in a recent media session. 

Golladay set career lows in total receptions and receiving yards during an injury-riddled 2020 season. He only recorded 20 catches for 338 yards and two touchdowns in a pivotal contract season. 

In recent seasons, the number of talented wide receivers coming out of college has steadily increased.

Interim head coach Darrell Bevell explained on Friday that the receivers position has seen a deeper pool of talent and the offenses being run in college are producing good receivers that can be acquired in later rounds of the NFL Draft. 

“Probably one thing I can answer better is obviously the way that the college game has gone. It seems like there is a longer list of those guys, where in the past, there’s (been) one to five marquee guys. It seems like there’s better skill and there’s more skill, and you’re getting to see it on a wider range of all these college offenses," Bevell said. "So, it might just be a deeper pool. And, I don’t know what that’s saying about the value of them, but I know that you can still get really good receivers later in the draft.”

According to CBS Sports, "The Lions rank just 19th in available cap space this coming offseason, with just over $10 million available. Obviously, some players currently on the roster will be released or traded to clear some room and fill out the roster, but that task will fall to the new management regime, whenever it's installed. Said new management will obviously not have been the same regime that drafted Golladay, and so won't have as much invested in his success." 

Detroit plays its season finale against the Minnesota Vikings this Sunday at Ford Field. 

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