The New York Giants have been trying to build a competent passing game for the past few seasons. We saw a glimpse of progress in 2022, but this past campaign was nothing short of disappointing.
In fact, the Giants signed veteran receiver Darius Slayton to a two-year, $12 million deal last off-season. The contract included a guaranteed $4.9 million and a $3.5 million signing bonus. In addition, he earns a $2.5 million roster bonus on the 5th day of the 2024 league year.
Slayton has routinely been a productive player for the Giants, but they’ve ultimately done him dirty, failing to build a strong passing game and get more out of the quarterback position.
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The Giants Know Slayton Can Do Much More
Slayton is a big fan of Daniel Jones and his qualities, routinely defending him on social media, but there have been times when he’s left a lot on the table. Slayton has four seasons with a minimum of 740 yards out of his five professional campaigns.
This past year, he enjoyed 769 yards, four touchdowns, and a career-high 65.8% reception rate. In fact, he dropped only three passes, good for a 5.7% drop rate, the lowest in his career.
One of the big knocks on Slayton has been his drops in the past, but he has eliminated that issue and has become a reliable target for Jones, especially downfield.
Interestingly, he played 33.4% of his reps out of the slot this past season, a career-high. There’s a lot to like about Slayton, who has the qualities to be a WR2 in a good offense.
Unfortunately, the Giants are far from having a competent unit that leverages the skill set of each individual player. If they can figure out the offensive line in 2024 and potentially upgrade the quarterback position, Slayton could have one of his best seasons yet, but that is a big if.