The New York Giants’ season continues to spiral, their 33–15 loss to the New England Patriots bringing a harsh reality into focus. What once looked like a hopeful reclamation project for wide receiver Jalin Hyatt has become something much more damning, especially after one of the franchise’s most respected figures publicly threw in the towel. A player Russell Wilson once believed in is now at the center of a storm that has reached every level of the organization.

Longtime Giants legend Tiki Barber gave the most candid evaluation yet of Hyatt’s future, and didn’t mince a single word. Appearing on WFAN, Barber implored general manager Joe Schoen to “cut bait” outright, asserting that keeping Hyatt around has become an undue burden on both the team and its front office.

”There was no reclaiming Jalen Hyatt. There was not. We’ve seen it multiple times over the last two seasons. It is a dead cause,” said Tiki Barber. “When you screw up, cut bait. That’s not hard.”

Barber, known for his blunt critiques, in essence validated what many within the organization have silently thought: Hyatt hasn’t met expectations, hasn’t shown the urgency needed to compete on the NFL level.

Hyatt’s struggles have been well-documented. He was drafted in the third round of 2023. He showed promise as a rookie with 373 yards on 40 targets, but that progress evaporated in Year 2 when he produced just eight receptions for 62 yards.

To his credit, Hyatt doubled down in the 2024 offseason. He described the period as a critical turning point.

“I’m glad that the things that I went through happened early in my career, just so I can learn from that and I can bounce back from that going into my third year.”

He received validation, as well, most notably from veteran quarterback Russell Wilson, who texted him the moment he signed with the Giants.

Wilson didn’t just support Hyatt; he championed him. He continually raved about him to the media.

“He called me the day we signed him,” Hyatt said. “I got an unknown call–I didn’t have his number saved at that time, so I didn’t answer because I didn’t know who it was. Then I get another call from that number. I’m like, ‘All right, let me answer it.’ And it was Russ. He called me, and he told me he watched all my film and how excited he was to be here and connect.”

Wilson saw Hyatt as a key in the offensive retooling, amplifying a more explosive, receiver-driven system.

The calf injury put Hyatt behind schedule. The limited snaps he took yielded but five catches over seven games. Then came the moment Tiki Barber and the Giants’ coaching staff could not ignore. Hyatt quit on a route that led directly to a game-sealing interception against the Packers.

With 40 seconds remaining, backup QB Jameis Winston had a chance to find him in the end zone. Hyatt wasn’t there. The ball was intercepted. The game was lost.

It wasn’t merely a technical error, but an effort-based one.

Hyatt benched after misstep

The Giants’ latest inactive list not only detailed who wouldn’t dress against the Patriots but also exposed just how decisively the internal priorities of the franchise have shifted. Russell Wilson being tabbed as a healthy scratch for the first time in his 14-year career overshadowed a significant depth-chart shake-up, but Jalin Hyatt’s absence held even greater weight.

The interim head coach, Mike Kafka, decided to bench him. However, he did not directly address this issue. But he did mention that the Giants would ”evaluate everything and everyone.” Hyatt wasn’t out because of injury or roster mechanics; it was a direct response to his bad performance in the Packers game.

Fast-forward to today, and that belief has dissipated under the weight of blown opportunities and stifled development. The Giants aren’t merely sorting out their depth chart; they’re determining who belongs in their future. And right now, Hyatt is running out of time to prove he does.