The Detroit Lions and Kenny Golladay are seemingly going their separate ways, after the team reportedly informed him Tuesday they won’t be placing the franchise tag on him before the afternoon deadline.
“There isn’t a team more prepared to intelligently expedite a tank in the inaugural years of its new coaching staff, scapegoat the pieces in place, then compete immediately thereafter with five 1st-round picks (and Goff’s team-friendly void) ahead of the 2023 season,” wrote one Twitter user.
“Lions should be the favorite for the No. 1 pick in 2022,” wrote another.
Golladay joins an awesome class of free agent receivers, though Allen Robinson and Chris Godwin were franchise tagged Tuesday. The Lions’ other starters, Marvin Jones and Danny Amendola, are also set to be unrestricted free agents when the league year opens March 17. Free agency negotiations can begin Monday at 4 p.m.
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The Lions’ top two receivers on the depth chart right now: Second-year man Quintez Cephus, a fifth-round pick in 2020 who had 20 catches for 349 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie, and the newly signed Tyrell Williams, who missed all of last season with injury.
The Lions are led by first-year general manager Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell. The Lions have the No. 7 pick in the 2021 NFL draft April 29. Our Lions beat writer Dave Birkett pegged the Lions to take quarterback Trey Lance in his first mock draft.
Golladay is clearly the best wideout on the market now, with JuJu Smith-Schuster and Corey Davis (Western Michigan) among the others.
Here’s how media and fans reacted to the news:
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