Despite a boatload of trade rumors dating back to late in the 2024-25 NFL season, New York Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton is staying put.
The 2019 fifth-round pick has spent the entirety of his NFL career with the G-Men and will remain there for at least three more seasons.
Giants Keeping No. 2 Receiver to Young Star
After being linked heavily to a handful of other teams, Slayton has elected to sign a three-year $36 million contract with New York.
The six-year pro has yet to eclipse 800-plus yards in a season but has been a steady player on a struggling franchise. Following a season that saw the Auburn product register the second-least yards of his career, he still managed to acquire a sweet deal.
Slayton’s Strong Level of Play Amid Struggling QB Situation
The Giants have been without an elite quarterback since the days of Eli Manning. With that said, Slayton has been the most consistent wideout for the Giants over the last five years.
Since entering the league, Slayton has led the G-Men in receiving yards in four of his six campaigns. He also has 21 total TDs, with the most coming back in his rookie campaign, where he collected eight.
PFSN has Slayton as the 37th-ranked free agent in the Top 121 NFL Free Agents. Slayton comes in as the fifth-placed receiver amongst all wideout free agents. The stats and insights team at PFSN further elaborates on the reunion in New York.
“Darius Slayton was a fifth-round pick back in 2019 and has been subjected to the Giants’ ineptitude ever since. He flashed with eight scores as a rookie and, despite the limitations of his supporting cast, averaged 15.0 yards per catch across his 92 NFL games.”
How New York’s Offense Shakes Out With Slayton
The Giants’ offense struggled mightily last season, which could be part of the reason Slayton finished with close to a career low in yards. In PFSN’s offense+ rankings, they came in second to last with a 59.7 (F) grade. This, once again, comes much to the struggle at the QB position, according to Sterling Xie.
Slayton’s halt in production may also come as the rookie sensation, Malik Nabers, ate the majority of receptions. The rookie saw a startling 170 targets (99 more than Slayton) in which he brought in 109.
This helped lead him to a nomination for the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year. Despite losing the award to his former teammate, Jayden Daniels, Nabers’ career upside can put a smile on Giants’ fans’ faces.
With the Giants selecting third in this year’s draft, they will undoubtedly look to give their talented receivers some help. Look for names like Cam Ward, Shedeur Sanders, and possibly even Jaxson Dart as targets to fill the QB vacancy.