The New York Giants re-signed veteran wide receiver Darius Slayton this week, which came across as a surprise for many. The 28-year-old playmaker seemed ready to move on for greener pastures in free agency but ultimately inked a three-year, $36 million deal to stay in the Big Apple.
Ahead of free agency, Slayton expressed his frustration with the team’s losing ways and explained that he would only want to come back if he felt like they had a solid plan in place to upgrade at quarterback. Now Slayton is back, yet the Giants still have yet to sign a quarterback this offseason.
No matter — Slayton still believes in the “vision” that general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll sold him on during contract negotiations.
Giants WR Darius Slayton believes in Giants’ vision at quarterback
Slayton spoke with the media on Thursday afternoon after officially signing his contract to remain with the Giants. He was asked why he chose to sign with a team that doesn’t currently have a QB1. Slayton explained that, despite the team not yet having its quarterback, he feels good about the plan they have in place:
“Obviously in free agency that’s pretty important for a receiver, to know who is going to be throwing the ball,” Slayton said. “Me, Dabs (Head Coach Brian Daboll) and (Senior Vice President and General Manager) Joe (Schoen) had those discussions and I believe in the vision that they have and the plan that they have and that they’re going to get somebody in here that’s going to be able to spin it and be able to lead us in the right direction.”
The Giants seemingly have a plan at quarterback, even if that plan is currently unclear to the onlookers. It’s a plan that Slayton bought into, though, hence his contract extension.
What could be the Giants’ vision at QB?
It’s no secret the Giants are intent on adding a veteran quarterback in free agency. They have been heavily pursuing Aaron Rodgers and have hosted Joe Flacco and Russell Wilson on visits. Step one of this plan seems to be to bring in a veteran arm that can maximize the talent on the roster in immediate fashion.
![New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) looks on before an NFL football matchup Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]](https://empiresportsmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Syndication-Florida-Times-Union-25000399-539x358.jpg)
But what is step two of that plan? In all likelihood, Rodgers, Wilson, and Flacco would be one-year stop gaps at the quarterback position. Slayton signed a three-year deal. So what’s the plan for life-after-Wilson/Rodgers/Flacco?
The Giants currently hold the No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Even if they sign one of these veterans, they could still use that pick to draft a quarterback, namely Miami’s Cam Ward or Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders. Although, to draft Ward, they likely need to trade up to the No. 1 overall pick, which they have expressed interest in doing.
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Whichever veteran quarterback the Giants sign could serve as a bridge, starting and competing until the rookie is ready. Many first-round quarterbacks get thrown immediately into the fire, which can stunt their growth and cause them to struggle early on and fail to reach their ceiling. That’s something the Giants would like to avoid.
This is a vision Giants fans could get behind — Slayton, too. However, this vision is contingent on landing a capable veteran quarterback in free agency.
