Why the New York Giants 2019 Fifth-Round Receiver Doesn't Belong in the New 2026 Scheme
The wide receiver room has definitely changed over the past several years. The New York Giants definitely have added competition to their wide receiver room. They have big names such as Darrnell Mooney, Calvin Austin III, former and returning wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., and returning receiver Malik Nabers. There is no room for players who cannot get the job done, and former head coach John Harbaugh has made this very clear. It seems to be coming close to the end for current backup wide receiver Darius Slayton.
Slayton was selected in the 2019 NFL Draft as the Giants' fifth-round pick. This receiver came out of Alabama, where he had a decent college career. He was entirely part of the Brian Daboll and Daniel Jones era in New York. Many believed that this receiver would bring something to the team; however, it did not go as planned. The 29-year-old had a breakout year in 2019, but since then, he hasn’t been the same player that he used to be. This now-near-team veteran isn’t seeing much of what he used to around the stadium anymore.
Since Harbaugh joined the team, Slayton has not quite fit into the scheme Harbaugh is looking to put together. He doesn’t offer very much to the team except for receiving. However, when the ball comes to him, this 2019 draft pick either loses his grip every single time or falls short on the play. His performance has plateaued over the past several seasons. He doesn’t move as quickly as he used to either.
The team is also building around quarterback Jaxson Dart. They want players who will fit and make each of these plays happen. The plays don’t need to be explosive; they just need to be smarter than they were in the past few seasons. This former Alabama standout just needs to be a team player who can help in any way that he can. Big Blue is spending much of its time figuring out what works for it and what won’t.
The only area Slayton has to offer in New York is his versatility as a threat. That is something he has used for a long time to help him stick with the Giants. This nearly thirty-year-old wide receiver has nothing else that he can really put to use. It’s not going to be worth keeping him if New York can find someone who can do exactly what he can but do it better. The Georgia native can also be dependable when the team deals with injuries, as they did last season when Nabers went out for the rest of the year. However, he caused a major setback by failing to pull through in New York. This team had to find other ways to make plays happen, yet still went 4-13.
Slayton may not play much this season if he cannot show Harbaugh he is reliable during the upcoming training camps at the end of July. The team needs to start moving on from players who once put in the effort but are now nearly falling flat. It’s not just him, either; the Giants are keeping an eye on several others before making decisions. This head coach isn’t messing around; he wants to see New York back on top. With the six-foot-one wide receiver potentially sitting on the bench, this may be a sign to him that his time with Big Blue is just about up.
