The New York Giants seem to have a position battle forming in their receiving corps this summer. Second-year wideout Jalin Hyatt is gunning for a starting role in the offense which could come at the expense of veteran playmaker Darius Slayton.
Could Darius Slayton lose his spot in the starting lineup?
Slayton is entering his sixth season in the NFL and coming off a career year in 2023. He racked up a career-high 770 receiving yards on 50 receptions with four touchdowns last season, making him the Giants’ leading receiver for the fourth time in the last five years.
Despite his success last season (and for the last five seasons), Slayton’s role could be diminished this season. The Giants have revamped their offense with the departure of running back Saquon Barkley and the addition of potential No. 1 wide receiver and first-round draft choice Malik Nabers. Nabers will be the focal point of Big Blue’s passing attack this season, which will inevitably decrease Slayton’s usage in the offense.
But it’s not the presence of Nabers that will cause Slayton to lose his spot in the starting lineup. Rather, it is the emergence of Hyatt, who is entering his second career season with plenty of potential and intrigue.
The Giants would be wise to expand Jalin Hyatt’s role
The Giants traded up to land Hyatt in the third round of last year’s draft. As a rookie, Hyatt flashed his potential, but did not play a big role in the offense. He received only 40 targets across 17 games and seven starts, hauling in 23 receptions for 373 yards and zero touchdowns. His 16.2 yards-per-reception average highlighted Hyatt’s explosive playmaking ability.
Creating more explosive plays is a point of emphasis for the Giants this summer. Hyatt has been helping them achieve that goal, hauling in deep shot after deep shot during the team’s practices.
Hyatt’s strong summer of performances could earn him the starting role ahead of Slayton on the depth chart. Dan Duggan of The Athletic projected the Giants’ depth chart on Monday morning and had Hyatt as the No. 3 wide receiver, ahead of Slayton, who he had as the No. 4 wide receiver:
Slayton’s calling card in the NFL has been his ability to make deep-receiving plays while lined up on the outside. That trait, however, is the biggest strength in Hyatt’s game. The key difference between the two players is age and cost.
Slayton is entering his sixth season in the NFL at 27 years old, playing out the final year of his contract with an $8 million cap hit. He and the team had a contract standstill earlier this offseason as Slayton was hoping to receive a raise and an extension — the Giants gave him neither. Their decision to hold off on a long-term extension with Slayton indicated that they have plans for Hyatt to overtake that role in the offense.
Hyatt, meanwhile, is only 22 years old and is attached to a rookie contract with an average salary of $1.4 million. He is under contract through the 2026 season. Hyatt is the younger, more cost-effective player with a higher ceiling when compared to Slayton.
The Giants would be wise to expand Hyatt’s role this season and develop him into their starting outside receiver opposite Nabers. With Nabers and Hyatt both being such young and talented playmakers, the potential for this Giants offense is sky-high.
