New York Giants Cut Their Longest-Tenured Player Darius Slayton

In a surprise move on Monday, the New York Giants cut wide receiver Darius Slayton.

Slayton was the longest-tenured Giant, having been with the team since they selected him with the 171st pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. For his career, he appeared in 106 games, caught 296 passes for 4,435 yards with 22 touchdowns.

In 2025, he caught 37 passes for 538 yards with one touchdown. Slayton was one of the most respected players in the locker room. But he’s been plagued by drops throughout his career and was at the bottom of the depth chart heading into this season.

General manager Joe Schoen re-signed Slayton to a three-year, $36 million deal last offseason. He was set to make $13 million for the upcoming season.

By releasing the veteran wideout, the Giants will save a little over $3 million, but they will have a dead cap hit of $12.749 million.

Dec 14, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton (18) misses a pass during the second quarter against Washington Commanders cornerback Antonio Hamilton Sr. (34) defends at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

It became apparent once John Harbaugh was hired as head coach that he was not high on Slayton. Early in free agency, the team signed Darnell Mooney and Calvin Austin. Then in the draft, the Giants traded up into the third round to select Malachi Fields with the 74th overall pick.

In June, New York signed veteran receivers Odell Beckham Jr, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Braxton Berrios. Although Slayton made the initial roster, it was reported that he would be inactive for most game days, as the team plans to use more 12 personnel packages this season with two tight ends and two receivers. These factors ultimately led to the team parting ways with him.

“Grateful for my time in NY. 7 years a Giant nothing but love for one of the most prestigious organizations in the NFL. Excited to see what’s next.” Slayton said on X following his release.

His 4,435 receiving yards rank 12th most in the history of the franchise, but now he’ll have to write a new chapter with another organization.