Giants 2025 UFA Primer: WR Darius Slayton

Is there still a major role for veteran wide receiver Darius Slayton in the Giants offensive huddle next season?

Nov 28, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; New York Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton (86) warms up before the game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. / Andrew Dieb-Imagn Images

For the first five years of his career, Darius Slayton was the Giants' de facto No. 1 receiver. But even though Malik Nabers came on board, Slayton still managed to hold onto a big role in the offense, showing he was still productive if given his chances.

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Darius Slayton, Wide Receiver

• Height: 6-foot-1

• Weight: 198 lbs

• Age: 27

• NFL Exp: 6 Years

• College: Auburn

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New York Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton has gone from being a fifth-round “maybe” six years ago to a major component of the team’s offense in a few of those seasons. As he heads into his second free agency opportunity as a pro, the question lingers whether he can maintain his presence in the franchise’s outlook. 

Slayton, the 171st overall pick in 2019 out of Auburn, was never a high-volume producer at the college level, but he surprisingly became one of the most reliable options once he entered the NFL ranks. 

In a short time, he became a soft-spoken leader in the Giants locker room and a trusty vertical target for fellow draft class member and quarterback Daniel Jones. 

After redshirting his freshman year with the school, Slayton spent three years as an active player for the Auburn Tigers. In that span, he collected 79 receptions for 1,605 yards, 11 touchdowns, and an average catch of 20.3 yards, netting at least 643 yards and five scores in the final two seasons to earn some NFL eyeballs for a late-round selection. 

After arriving in East Rutherford, Slayton has remained the only player in the locker room from the 2019 class (after Jones recently left the organization) and has had an up-and-won tenure with the Giants receiving corps. In his rookie debut, he posted arguably his best season with 84 targets in 14 games, securing 48 for 740 yards (15.4 average) and eight touchdowns to lead the team that season. 

His next two seasons were mixed in results. Slayton would increase his target and catch load to 96 and 50 in his sophomore season but only notched three touchdowns. The following year saw his worst stat line of 26 catches for 339 yards and two scores despite playing in 13 games. 

Slayton rebounded in 2022 with his third 700+ yard receiving campaign to help the Giants to the playoffs and then followed it up with a career-high 770 yards and four touchdowns in 2023. It helped him earn a contract extension before last season for two years and $12 million that was eventually altered ahead of 2024 to include new potential incentives. 

In times of annual change in and around the roster, Slayton has found a way to remain one of the constant faces in the Giants huddle for the past six seasons, but the question remains of whether he should continue as such or whether he wants to give the franchise’s struggles. 

He might decide to openly test the free agent waters for a potential team whose offense better suits his skillset and produces at a consistently higher level than it has in New York the last two seasons. The Giants also look to focus their offensive game plan around Malik Nabers, who has become the true No. 1 guy.

Dec 29, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton (86) celebrates after scoring a touchdown reception during the first half against the Indianapolis Colts at MetLife Stadium. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

2024 Season Recap

With the emergence of rookie wideout Malik Nabers this season, the outputs of the rest of the Giants wide receiving corps were lessened, and that was also the case for Darius Slayton. In 575 passing snaps and 16 games played, Slayton produced a 55.7 reception percentage, the third lowest of his career, by hauling in 39 receptions on 71 targets for 573 yards, two touchdowns, and an average catch of 14.7 yards. 

With those numbers, Slayton wasn’t dormant by any stretch, but he only finished third on the Giants receiving leaderboard after leading in four of his first five seasons. The high-volume performances were few and far between, and Slayton only amassed 100+ yards in two contests, Week 5 against Seattle and Week 8 against Pittsburgh. 

The 27-year-old earned a similar amount of targets as he did in the previous two seasons, but it didn’t lend to the same type of production the Giants were used to seeing from Slayton when he first arrived. Part of that can certainly be attributed to the ascension of Malik Nabers and the inability of the quarterback position to execute a lethal offense in the deep range where Slayton thrives.

However, blame could not be withheld from Slayton’s issues with drops for which he tallied a single-season career-high of 7 with a drop rate of 15.2 percent. That marked his fourth season with at least six drops and a double-digit share in his overall targets, which can’t happen when you want to remain a main weapon in any NFL offense.

Sep 26, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton (86) runs with the ball against Dallas Cowboys linebacker Eric Kendricks (50) during the second quarter at MetLife Stadium. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Why the Giants Should Keep Him?

Whether the Giants elect to keep Darius Slayton could hinge on any potential changes made at the beginning of the offseason. 

The Giants have already severed the bond between the wide receiver and former quarterback Daniel Jones, which started during their rookie seasons in 2019 and helped Slayton build his best year in the NFL.

That said, if the team cleans house within their personnel ranks, perhaps that regime doesn’t see the same value in Slayton’s game anymore and elects to move on. 

However, one of the biggest discussion points surrounding the current regime is how to maintain consistency, and doing so with players like Slayton can benefit the offense. 

As one of the eldest faces in the locker room, he can serve as a leader beyond the numbers, helping teammates understand the system or setting the tone of the facility's culture. 

Slayton’s numbers haven’t been consistent nor jump off the page to warrant a huge contract, and if he wants to remain in New York, he might take a fairly cheap deal, like the two-year, $12 million deal he accepted two years ago. 

He ultimately brings a reliable presence to the offense that is hard to dismiss. He should be considered highly in an upcoming free-agent pool, where many of the guys are statistical unknowns with fewer reps than him. 

But who knows, maybe Slayton is seeking money for his experience, and the Giants want to go elsewhere for the position. 

They certainly need the depth that he provides. Still, one must remember how the veteran almost missed team events in the offseason due to contract disputes, ultimately leading to a revised deal with the organization via added incentives.

Dec 29, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton (86) celebrates after scoring a touchdown reception during the first half against the Indianapolis Colts at MetLife Stadium. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Why the Giants Shouldn’t Keep Him?

For the stats junkies out there, the first issue they might point to is Darius Slayton’s drops problem. It has been mentioned before with him and this Giants receiving unit in 2024, but it’s a factor that continues to follow a veteran player when it shouldn’t with seven on the year. 
And Malik Nabers has only been around for one season, so using his presence as justification for Slayton's lack of consistent production might not budge. He might have taken a load of the receiving opportunities this fall, but Slayton has seen an influx of targets–at least 71 in four seasons–and hasn’t converted them into meaningful plays in the endzone with just four touchdowns or less since 2019. 
The Giants' offensive huddle isn’t as strong as they’d like it to be around Nabers, and they could look to strengthen the wide receiver position to account for the opposing team’s focus on the rookie. They might scout the free-agent market if they don’t see Slayton as a guy who can threaten defenses at a high level anymore.

Jan 5, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Titans wide receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine (15) breaks the tackle of Houston Texans cornerback D'Angelo Ross (37) during the second half at Nissan Stadium. / Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Potential Replacements if He Doesn’t Return

Free Agency: Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Tennessee Titans

One of the more underrated free agents in catch production, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, would be a valuable addition to the Giants for his ability to find payday when it counts.

Despite having just 32 receptions for 497 yards this season, the Titans’ homegrown player is one of the league leaders with nine touchdowns in 15 games. 

Westbrook-Ikhine could help fill the void left by Darius Slayton in the endzone and increase the Giants’ success inside the 20-yard line, where they finished in the basement in 2024.

Perhaps he would earn more targets and be a heavier contributor for New York, and he would be on a very cheap contract even after he earns a deserved pay bump.

Nov 23, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Iowa State Cyclones wide receiver Jayden Higgins (9) makes a catch against the Utah Utes during the third quarter at Rice-Eccles Stadium. / Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Draft: Jayden Higgins, Iowa State

One of the most improved wide receiver prospects in this year’s pool, Jayden Higgins, could be a player that elevates the Giants' offense in many ways. In the last few seasons with the Cyclones, he has steadily increased his workload to 475 passing snaps in 13 games and earned the fifth-highest PFF grade of 90.5 as a senior. 

This past fall, Higgins caught 87 passes on a heaping 130 targets, turning them into 1,185 yards and nine touchdowns. He hasn’t finished below 53 receptions, 80 targets, and six scores in any collegiate season, so he could possess that immediate impact factor for whoever team he joins. 

Higgins has excellent catching ability but can also play in different spots, including the slot. He is great at securing the football and taking his routes deep. Despite his talents, he is the seventh-ranked prospect in the position and could be there if the Giants take an unlikely gamble at the wide receiver spot.

Jul 25, 2024; East Rutherford, NY, USA; New York Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton (86) gives an interview after training camp at Quest Diagnostics Training Center. / Lucas Boland-Imagn Images

Keep or Dump?

Through thick and thin, the Giants have had the privilege of Darius Slayton being a backbone for their locker room and the voice of reason to keep the team engaged during disappointing campaigns. 

He deserves to have as much success as anybody on the team and hasn’t had it from year to year on this offense, whether it’s his fault or not. 

The Giants know they can’t just play the game of chucking it up to Malik Nabers and praying it works out. Opponents will come with an improved game plan, and the Giants must diversify their huddle with numerous receiving threats if they want to compete with the best in the NFL next season. 

If leadership and stability improve, they might find a way to keep Slayton in the building and discover how to revive his production from a shocking rookie debut. 

On the other hand, if they think they need to turn elsewhere to improve their offensive system in 2025, plenty of options can upgrade the position at a fairly similar price. This would allow Slayton to move forward and find a refresher with another organization that meets his skill set.

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