Are the Detroit Lions better off without Kenny Golladay?

The Detroit Lions‘ new brass decided not to use the franchise tag on wide receiver Kenny Golladay. Are they better off without him?

We all know the deal. The Lions are rebuilding and every roster decision is important. As a matter of fact, some decisions might be more important than others.

This week general manager Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell made the difficult decision to let Kenny Golladay walk. Considering how bare the Lions’ cupboard is at receiver, this was no small decision.

It was also one of the most polarizing and anticipated decisions that the Motor City fan base was waiting on. However, the decision has been made and the Lions will move forward in a bold new direction this franchise has seldomly traveled.

Now none of us truly know what occurred behind the scenes. Did Holmes attempt to sign Golladay to a long-term contract? Was Golladay determined to escape from Detroit? Were injury concerns at the center of deciding to let Kenny walk?

Did Kenny want to return … or want out?

If all we recall, back at the end of January, after Dan Campbell was introduced as the Lions’ new head coach, Kenny Golladay appeared on the NFL Network’s ‘Good Morning Football’ show. When asked about how Campbell presented himself, Golladay was very upfront according to SI.com.

"“I’m not going to lie, when I first saw it, I died laughing, but I loved it. That’s the energy I’m talking about. He set the tone right there. I guess we’re going to be biting some kneecaps off.”"

Golladay also said he felt good and would be trying to match the energy that Dan Campbell came with during his introductory presser. That could all be a positive spin, but he certainly sounded interested in continuing his career in Detroit.

By all accounts now that the previous regime is gone, which might have soured Golladay on Detroit more than anything else, it looked like Kenny was ready to get a deal done with the Lions. However, was Golladay actually willing to come to terms on a reasonable contract that worked for both himself and the Lions?