Darnell Mooney’s second act with the Giants is off to a shaky start.
New York brought in the former Falcons wideout on a one-year, $3 million deal, and the idea was simple enough: give Malik Nabers another reliable target and see whether Mooney could settle in as one of the team’s better receiving options. Instead, the early camp picture has been far less flattering. Third-round rookie Malachi Fields and Isaiah Likely have already jumped him on the depth chart, and right now Mooney looks like the WR3 at best.
That’s a rough spot for a player who only just landed in New York, but it gets more complicated. USA Today’s Art Stapleton reported that teams around the league have already checked in on a potential Mooney trade. For a team that didn’t make much of a financial commitment, that kind of interest makes the situation worth watching.
Mooney’s résumé still gives him some value. He finished 2024 just eight yards shy of 1,000, and he likely would have crossed that mark if he had played in the Falcons’ Week 18 game against Carolina. That would have been the second 1,000-yard season of his career, and he showed enough in OTAs to remind teams why he remains intriguing when the fit is right.
But the Giants may not be in a position to wait around. If they don’t view themselves as a playoff team right now, there’s a case for giving more snaps to Fields and trying to develop him. They also have other options in Darius Slayton, Calvin Austin, Braxton Berrios, and Odell Beckham Jr. behind Nabers.
Mooney’s fall in New York is especially notable because he spent much of last season on thin ice with Atlanta before the broken collarbone changed the picture. He’s healthy now, and the right quarterback in the right system could still bring out the version of Mooney that’s flashed before.
A team like the Houston Texans would make some sense. They lost Jayden Higgins for the season because of an ACL tear, can’t count on Tank Dell after his gruesome injury, and still have Jaylin Noel as an unproven piece. In that kind of setup, the Tulane product could slide in as a WR2 behind Nico Collins for a team with more playoff aspirations.
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Falcons Suddenly Have A Week 1 QB Question They Didn't Want
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Michael Penix Jr. remains out while recovering from ACL surgery, and he has not taken part in 11-on-11 work. For now, Tagovailoa is still the expected Week 1 starter unless Penix gets back on the field, shows he is ready and makes a stronger case. Until then, Atlanta is left balancing projection, health and performance with the opener approaching. [Read more 🡒]