The Giants moved on from one of the most familiar faces on their roster Tuesday afternoon, releasing veteran wide receiver Darius Slayton.
Slayton, who turns 29, was a fifth-round pick by New York in the 2019 NFL Draft and had been the longest-tenured Giant on the team until the cut. His departure also comes with a notable financial split for the organization: the Giants clear $3.16 million in cap space while absorbing $12.75 million in dead cap money.
For years, Slayton gave the offense a downfield element it badly needed. He came in as a rookie and made an immediate impression, pairing his size and speed with a quick connection to quarterback Daniel Jones, another 2019 draftee. He never reached 800 receiving yards in a season, but he topped 700 yards four times in his first five years - in 2019, 2020, 2022, and 2023 - and led the Giants in receiving in each of those seasons.
Still, the fit was never without warts. Slayton had trouble consistently creating separation with his route running, and drops followed him throughout his career.
Even so, his value as a fifth-round hit was clear. He appeared in 106 games for the Giants and made 78 starts, finishing his New York run with 296 catches, 4,435 yards and 22 touchdowns.
His release also comes after an offseason in which he had double sports hernia surgery, and he recently said he still didn’t feel he was running at full speed.
With Slayton gone, the Giants’ receiver picture shifts again. Darnell Mooney and rookie Malachi Fields are now positioned to be primary receivers alongside Malik Nabers and Odell Beckham Jr.
New York still has work to do to replace Slayton’s roster spot. The team could sign Braxton Berrios to the active roster, or it could bring in a free agent and leave its trio of returners on the practice squad. The Giants also have wide receivers Dalen Cambre, Jalin Hyatt and newly-signed Charlie Jones on the practice squad.
In Other News...
Giants Just Got A Painful Reminder About Their Evan Neal Bet
The Giants spent the offseason reshaping their roster, and one of the clearest signs of how far that process has gone came when they terminated Evan Neals vested-veteran contract while setting their initial 53-man group. Neal had been given multiple chances to win a tackle job and settle into a long-term role, but the consistency never really arrived, leaving the team to move on rather than keep waiting for the promise to catch up.
For a front office already trying to stabilize an offensive line that has been a constant concern, Neals departure adds another layer of work. The Giants now have to account for the vacancy he leaves behind and figure out how to patch it with the roster they have, a reminder that one of their bigger personnel bets did not produce the payoff they were hoping for. [Read more 🡒]
5 Giants Entering 2026 With Everything To Prove
Deonte Banks, Jaxson Dart, John Michael Schmitz, Darius Slayton and the tight end expected to be Darts primary target all head into 2026 with their roles and futures tied closely to what happens next. For the Giants, that makes this more than a simple look ahead. It is a snapshot of a roster in which each of those players has something to gain from a strong season, whether it is momentum from an offseason, a better preseason showing or the kind of consistency that changes how the team views them long term.
Banks has already lived through the pressure of being evaluated every week, while Dart carries the added weight that comes with a young quarterback expected to shape the offense. Schmitz and Slayton are in different spots, but they share the same basic challenge of turning opportunity into security, and the tight end's chance to become Darts go-to option gives him a path to matter quickly. With contracts, depth chart standing and developmental arcs all in play, 2026 feels like a proving ground for a group that could end up defining the Giants' next step. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Giants Just Got More Personal For George Pickens
Before the Giants and Cowboys even get to the scoreboard, there is already some edge in the air for New Yorks secondary. Greg Newsome II made clear he respects the challenge presented by CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, but he also sounded confident in the group he now helps anchor, which is exactly the sort of tone the Giants want heading into a Week 1 test against one of the NFCs most talented receiver rooms.
The matchup carries a little extra bite because Newsome and Pickens have crossed paths before, back when Newsome was with the Browns and Pickens was still in Pittsburgh. Now the two are on opposite sidelines in an NFC East showdown, with Pickens in Dallas and Newsome in New York, and that old history gives an ordinary season opener a more personal feel for a Giants defense trying to set its tone early. [Read more 🡒]