The New York Giants are expected to make some serious roster moves this offseason to free up cap space, and two players have emerged as potential cut candidates.
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, tight end Darren Waller and wide receiver Darius Slayton could be released this offseason to give New York more financial flexibility to sign available free agents. He added that this could expand the roles of the younger players on the roster:
“The Giants can save nearly $13 million on the cap with potential releases of tight end Darren Waller and wide receiver Darius Slayton,” Fowler wrote. “Young receivers Wan’Dale Robinson and Jalin Hyatt should see increased roles in 2024.”
The Giants have clear areas of need
The Giants’ main areas to address this offseason through free agency are the offensive line and wide receiver departments. New York was one of the league’s lowest-scoring offenses (15 passing touchdowns, 28th in the NFL) and had a historically bad performance from the offensive line.
Bringing an additional $13 million to their cap space can be used to sign established veterans who can provide serviceable play in those areas.
Robinson and Hyatt could rejuvenate the Giants offense
Waller was supposed to be a splash for the Giants in 2023, but injuries and inconsistent on-field production negated any positive impact from occurring. As for Slayton, the five-year veteran has been solid but is not quite cut out to be a team’s best receiver.
Robinson just finished his second year in the NFL after his rookie season was cut short due to an ACL injury. In 2023, he had 525 receiving yards for one touchdown and averaged 8.8 yards per reception. Towards the end of the season, he displayed reliability and solid playmaking and quickly became a top receiving target.
Hyatt, meanwhile, saw inconsistent playing time in his rookie season, though his usage is expected to increase significantly next season. In 2023, he had 23 receptions (40 targets) for 373 receiving yards. Known for his electric speed, an increased role could mean more big plays downfield, an area in which the Giants have struggled in for the past several seasons.
Cutting Waller and Slayton may be the most logical decision
Being that the Giants are still in the rebuild phase, the most logical path forward may be to give Hyatt and Robinson major roles in the offense and play younger receiving options, while going after veterans for the offensive line.
The team is going to have a lot of work to do this offseason and be on the lookout for some big names to come into play regarding their executive decisions.
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