Instant Grade: WR Darnell Mooney Could Be a Sneaky Good Addition for Giants' Offense

The New York Giants added another new weapon for quarterback: former Atlanta Falcons wideout Darnell Mooney, who signed a one-year deal.

Mooney is a player we thought could be just the right fit for what the Giants wanted to accomplish with their offense, and it appears the Giants agreed with the thinking after agreeing to terms with the receiver on a $10 million deal that is believed to be incentive loaded.

Mooney, a former fifth-round pick by the Chicago Bears out of Tulane, had spent his last two seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, where he has continued to build a resume as one of the best and most versatile slot receivers in the league.

Whether he has played in his primary role in the slot or pushed out to the perimeter, the 28-year-old Mooney flashes high speed and nifty route-running ability that makes him a dangerous option for opposing defenders to try and shut down on Sundays.

In addition to his agility, Mooney stands a little taller than Robinson at 5-foot-11 and 180 pounds, offering that extra bit of length to track down deep balls and even high-point contested catches more consistently.

He has been targeted at least 10 times on such throws in five of his six seasons and hauled in at least four targets in four of those same years.

Mooney also excels at creating separation and opening up reliable throwing windows at the intermediate level of the field, as evidenced by his 12.3-yard average distance of target and 1,360 yards after the catch that came from his blazing speed once he breaks past a beaten defender.

Some of his strengths did take a slight hit in the last two seasons with the Falcons, but that could be attributed to Atlanta's inconsistency at quarterback and an offensive system that ranked 24th in scoring and struggled to sustain long drives and convert key downs.

What's a little concerning for some Giants fans is Mooney's recent battle with drops: he recorded a career-high 6 drops and brought down only 2 of his 10 contested targets, a 20% clip that ranks second-worst among pro receivers.

The same drops were what haunted the Giants' arsenal last season as well, with the entire unit coughing up 11 passes, some of which came off gorgeous throws by Dart that could have resulted in trips into the endzone for six points.

If Mooney can clean up his game in that area, he has all the talent to be another explosive weapon in what is setting up to be a huddle chock full of them in New York.

Giants' receivers room is taking shape

New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers will be back from a torn ACL to lead the Giants receivers in 2026. | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The Giants expect to have Malik Nabers and Darius Slayton back healthy in 2026 and have already added another versatile threat in Calvin Austin III as a prelude to Mooney's signing.

That's at least three receivers who can all stretch the field, make big plays, and force opposing defenses to decide which target they're going to prioritize shutting down.

One would expect that to Nabers given his high-volume playmaking, but that's exactly when Mooney can enter the fold and rack up catches on the back side while churning extra yards that keep drives moving.

Mooney has remained productive over the past two seasons in Atlanta, catching 96 passes for 1,435 yards and six touchdowns, ranking among the most effective slot receivers in that span.

Compared to Robinson, Mooney brings more experience and a proven ability to contribute as a potential WR2 by next season.

It's going to be fun seeing Dart unleash the football to a stronger bevy of wide receivers than the core he had to elevate in 2025.

The Giants have done a really good job at one of the main bullet points of their first offseason agenda behind John Harbaugh, and there is a lot to be excited about on the offensive side of the ball.

Grade: A

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