The New York Giants could lose one of their key weapons on offense this offseason. Veteran wideout Darius Slayton is playing out the final year of his contract, set to be an unrestricted free agent in 2025. Considering the direction of the team and their refusal to extend Slayton this past offseason, he is likely playing his final games with the team.
Darius Slayton has been a consistent playmaker during his time with the Giants
Slayton has been among the Giants’ most reliable players over the past six seasons. A fifth-round draft pick in 2019, Slayton has led the Giants in receiving yards in four of the last five seasons, surpassing 700 receiving yards in each of those four team-leading campaigns.
While he never established himself as a premier No. 1 wideout, Slayton emerged as a quality second receiver and has been an excellent complementary piece for rookie star Malik Nabers this season. However, despite his success, the Giants elected not to extend Slayton this season, leaving him a likely candidate for departure in the upcoming offseason.
The Giants seem likely to move on from Slayton in 2025
This past offseason, Slayton held out of spring practices in hopes of landing a revised, higher-paying contract with the G-Men. However, the Giants didn’t bite, instead electing to give him an incentive-based raise, rather than increasing his annual salary or extending the length of his deal.
The added incentives amounted to only $650k more than the original amount in his deal (per ESPN’s Field Yates). This minimal increase could indicate the lack of value the Giants place on Slayton. He could still be extended in the offseason, however, there is a realistic chance that another team around the league will opt to pay Slayton more than the Giants are willing to.
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Slayton’s name was brought up in trade discussions prior to this season’s deadline. However, the Giants chose to hang onto Slayton, possibly indicating that they hope to extend him in the offseason. But with many holes to fill on the roster, the Giants might not have enough in the budget to pay Slayton a worthwhile contract. He could command upwards of $10 million per season on his next deal — a figure the Giants seem unlikely to reach.
