The Giants made a surprising call less than a week before their season opener against the Cowboys, releasing veteran wideout Darius Slayton.
Slayton, 29, was the longest-tenured player on the roster and was set to earn $13 million this season. A fifth-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, he spent his entire Giants career producing steady numbers: 296 catches on 522 targets for 4,435 yards and 22 touchdowns.
He never turned into a true star in New York, but he carved out a reliable role and did it with efficiency. Over his Giants run, Slayton posted four seasons with at least 700 receiving yards and averaged 15 yards per catch.
His final season was his quietest. In 14 games, he finished with 37 receptions on 63 targets for 538 yards and one touchdown. Over his last six games of the 2025 season, he topped 50 receiving yards only once.
Even with that down year, Slayton should draw interest quickly. He has been a former team captain and has shown he can handle a complementary role without needing the offense built around him.
A few teams stand out as logical fits.
The Colts are an obvious one. They still have Alec Pierce, but they lost Michael Pittman when he was traded to the Steelers during the offseason.
Indianapolis also recently signed Keenan Allen, who was arrested late last month for suspected DUI. At minimum, Slayton would add receiver depth for a team that needs it.
The Jets are another natural landing spot. Garrett Wilson is the clear top option there, and Slayton could help ease the load while also giving support to Omar Cooper Jr., the 30th overall pick in April’s draft. His experience and leadership could matter as Cooper adjusts to the league.
New Orleans also fits after the Saints took a hit at receiver. Rookie first-round pick Jordyn Tyson is on injured reserve after a right hamstring injury suffered during a joint practice with the Jacksonville Jaguars, and he is expected to miss about two months.
That leaves rookie fourth-round pick Bryce Lance slated to start with Chris Olave and Devaughn Vele. Slayton wouldn’t necessarily jump Lance right away, but he could lighten the burden and give Tyler Shough another trustworthy option.
San Francisco is worth watching too. The 49ers signed Buccaneers legend Mike Evans and re-signed Deebo Samuel after losing Jauan Jennings to the Vikings in free agency and dealing with Brandon Aiyuk’s continued absence, which appears to have been his final down with the team, if not the NFL.
With Ricky Pearsall now on season-ending injured reserve because of a knee injury, the 49ers could use more help at receiver. Slayton would give them depth and fit alongside their other skill talent.
The Patriots also make sense. Mike Vrabel recently said his team is not very deep, and New England could use help after Kayshon Boutte was traded to the Houston Texans.
Slayton would give Drake Maye another proven target and help draw some attention away from A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs.
Dallas is in the mix as well, even with CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens already on the roster. In a pass-heavy offense, another experienced receiver could still be useful. The Cowboys also face the Giants in Week 1, and Slayton could potentially provide intel on new Giants coach John Harbaugh's offense.
Tennessee rounds out the list. The Titans need help at receiver, and Slayton would be reunited with offensive coordinator and former Giants coach Brian Daboll in Nashville. Two of Slayton’s best seasons came during Daboll’s run as Giants coach.
In Other News...
LSU Just Made A Roster Decision Fans Never Expected Under SEC Pressure
LSUs latest roster move landed in the middle of a fight that has been building around college sports and the SECs rules on former professional athletes. The Tigers added Gabriel Reliford and Aidan Anding to their 105-player roster, a move that gave the program the numbers it needed while keeping the roster within the framework of the leagues ongoing pressure over eligibility questions.
The decision also meant two former NFL contract signees, DaeQuan Wright and Zxavian Harris, were left off the teams roster for now. The issue sits inside a broader legal standoff, with the SEC taking the position that athletes who signed professional contracts should not be allowed back in college sports, while LSU continues to challenge that interpretation as the dispute escalates. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Faces Mounting SEC Pressure In Fight That Could Force A Response
Tony Clayton, the attorney representing former NFL players DaeQuan Wright and Zxavaian Harris, has taken his criticism of SEC commissioner Greg Sankey public after LSU declined to roster his clients and instead added two injured players. The episode has pulled LSU into a widening conference and legal dispute, one that has already prompted the SEC to threaten expulsion over bylaws that prohibit former professional players from returning to college competition.
The fight has moved well beyond a roster decision, with federal lawsuits and injunctions now part of the picture as the SEC, NCAA and LSU all remain entangled. LSU coach Lane Kiffin has denied orchestrating the players return, but he has backed them legally, leaving the Tigers in the middle of a test of conference authority that could still force a response from the league office. [Read more 🡒]
LSUs Receiver Doubts Took A Hit After One Transfers Debut
Winston Watkins Jr. gave LSU exactly the kind of opening-night spark the Tigers were hoping to see from their transfer class, turning in a team-high seven catches for 110 yards and a touchdown in the 51-10 win over Clemson. The former Ole Miss receiver fit right into a lineup that had spent the offseason under plenty of scrutiny, and his debut was part of a broader statement from a group that was expected to help steady the offense right away.
Watkins pointed to the team's extensive preparation under coach Lane Kiffin and said he believed in the roster despite the uncertainty and off-field noise that followed LSU into the season. With other transfers also contributing and the Tigers rolling from the start, the question now is less about whether the newcomers can help and more about how much further this group can lift an offense that looked awfully comfortable in its first real test. [Read more 🡒]