Darius Slayton’s run as the longest-tenured player on the New York Giants has unexpectedly ended. His journey with the franchise began in the 2019 NFL Draft when the Giants selected him in the fifth round out of Auburn. Over seven years, he developed into a reliable vertical threat. However, just days before their 2026 season kicks off against the Cowboys on Sunday, the Giants decided to cut him. And shortly after the release, Slayton took to X to pen a heartfelt farewell to New York.
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“Grateful for my time in NY,” Slayton wrote on X. “7 years a Giant nothing but love for one of the most prestigious organizations in the NFL. Excited to see what’s next 🙏.”
During his seven seasons with New York, the wide receiver played 106 games. Through this period, his quarterback targeted him 522 times, and he caught 296 passes for 4,435 yards and scored 22 touchdowns. Surprisingly, Slayton recorded a career-best in his rookie year, scoring eight touchdowns.
His long tenure with the Giants, coupled with the fact that he made the initial 53-man roster cut on August 30, is the reason why Slayton’s removal comes as a surprise. But his production through the seven-year tenure wasn’t really consistent. Over the last two years, his production declined. Slayton wrapped up the 2025 season with 37 receptions for 538 yards, down from 39 receptions for 573 yards in 2024 and from 50 receptions for 770 yards in 2023.
Last season, he scored only one touchdown, and overall, it was his lowest production in the last five years. Moreover, he underwent sports hernia surgery this offseason, on April 28, and reportedly wasn’t at his best in training camp.
With that as the backdrop, Slayton’s departure could also be motivated by the additions of WR Darnell Mooney and wideout Odell Beckham Jr. The emergence of rookie Malachi Fields further crowded New York’s receiver room.
Coach John Harbaugh had said that he needed to see some promise from Slayton in the preseason games, and it was in Week 2 against the Dolphins that he got what he needed. Slayton secured four receptions for 58 yards, and Harbaugh breathed a sigh of relief. But as it turns out, that wasn’t enough.
Notably, Slayton signed a three-year, $36 million contract extension in 2025, which guaranteed him $9.75 million for the 2026 season. As ESPN’s Bill Barnwell noted in an X post, the Giants will save around $2.5 million by cutting Slayton, but they will have to pay him the rest of the guaranteed amount to play elsewhere.
The 29-year-old has a salary cap hit of $15.91 million. And according to Spotrac, the Giants were already $953,427 over the cap ahead of his release. While they save $2.5 million, they still carry around $12.7 million in dead money for the 2026 season, and another $3 million for the next season.
Nevertheless, an insider told the Exhibit News Network’s Josina Anderson that three teams have reportedly reached out to acquire Slayton following his release. But according to Anderson, the Indianapolis Colts could be the next possible home for the 29-year-old WR. After all, Slayton already has a good relationship with their quarterback, Daniel Jones, who played for the Giants between 2019 and 2023.
For now, Darius Slayton will likely take some time to weigh his options.
It certainly seems like the Giants needed to shed some salary cap space and make a path for their newly acquired receivers. But they’re paying a hefty price for letting a trusted veteran walk away.