Wide recevier Darius Slayton has been with the New York Giants since 2019, but the impending free agent could find a new home in the coming months. A fifth-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, the Auburn product immediately outplayed his draft capital and established himself as a reliable deep threat. Appearing in 14 games while making nine starts, Slayton finished his inaugural campaign with 48 receptions for 740 yards and eight touchdowns on 84 targets.
Slayton remained in a similar role throughout his time with the Giants, but the wide receiver will likely join a new organization in free agency. First-round pick Malik Nabers is the clear top option in this passing attack, and Wan’Dale Robinson will see his fair share of targets in the short passing game. If he stays, Slayton would likely be nothing more than the third option in an offense without a legitimate quarterback. Rather than lose value in this situation, the veteran could sign with a team like the Kansas City Chiefs, New England Patriots, or Baltimore Ravens.
Darius Slayton Could Leave Giants As A Free Agent
The Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver room could look dramatically different in 2025. While they made it to the AFC Championship Game with Marquise Brown, DeAndre Hopkins, and first-round pick Xavier Worthy, the two veterans are impending free agents and might not return in 2025. Additionally, injured wideout Rashee Rice will likely miss a portion of the upcoming season due to a suspension stemming from his involvement in the offseason car crash.
Somebody must catch passes for Patrick Mahomes, and Darius Slayton could be a cost-effective signing if he leaves the Giants. As it is, the Chiefs don’t have the most salary cap space and they’ll likely need to use most of it to re-sign homegrown talents like Trey Smith and Nick Bolton. Slayton’s deep speed and vertical ability could make him a dangerous part of this offense, and pairing him with Worthy should give defensive coordinators too much speed to consistently stop.
Other Fits
Patriots quarterback Drake Maye did a remarkable job of showing promise during his rookie season despite having the worst blocking, receivers, and coaching staff in the NFL. The Patriots fixed their coaching problem by hiring Mike Vrabel, but now they must do something about the players on the field. While investing in the offensive line will probably be the team’s top priority, New England must find better weapons. Fortunately, they have over $120 million in cap space, so they can sign Slayton and another receiver without impacting their ability to find starting-caliber guards and tackles.
The Baltimore Ravens narrowly missed out on their second consecutive trip to the AFC Championship Game, and the story may have been different if they had another reliable wide receiver. With Zay Flowers missing the contest, Baltimore had no reliable third option in the passing game. Baltimore knew this weakness was there when they traded for Diontae Johnson, but the former Panther couldn’t keep out of trouble in a reduced role. Slayton is an ideal fit for this offense and could replace the aging Nelson Agholor as the deep threat in this offense.
Main Photo: Vincent Carchietta – USA Today Sports
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