The New York Giants released wide receiver Darius Slayton on Monday, ending a seven-year tenure for the team’s longest-tenured player just days before their season opener against the Dallas Cowboys. The unexpected roster move creates over $3 million in cap space while leaving the franchise with a receiving corps that has question marks.
Darius Slayton Released by New York Giants Ahead of Season Opener
Slayton had initially survived the cut to the initial 53-man roster before management decided to let him go.
Over seven seasons in New York, he appeared in 106 games, hauling in 296 catches for 4,435 receiving yards and 22 touchdowns.
Cap Space Savings and Contract Details Behind the Cut
Slayton was entering the second year of a three-year, $36 million contract and was slated to make $13 million this season, with a 2026 cap hit near $15.9 million. Structured as a post-June 1 cut, the transaction saves New York about $3.16 million this season while absorbing $12.75 million in dead money now and $3 million in 2027.
The veteran wideout underwent core-muscle surgery in April and never fully regained his burst. In the team’s preseason finale against the Jets, he played 33 snaps without a target. Last season, he contributed 37 receptions for 538 yards and a score in 14 games. He had just one game with over 50 receiving yards during his final six games of the 2025 season.
Slayton Issues Gracious Farewell on Social Media
Rather than expressing frustration over an abrupt exit right before kickoff, Slayton took to social media to thank the organization for his seven-year run in New York.
“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 🙏🏾,”
Darius Slayton, via X
Reconfigured Wide Receiver Depth Chart for Jaxson Dart
The release leaves the Giants with a reshuffled receiving room tasked with supporting quarterback Jaxson Dart. Malik Nabers returns as the focal point of the offense. Nabers had a phenomenal rookie season in 2024, catching 109 receptions for 1,204 yards and seven touchdowns, and was off to a solid start in the 2025 season before going down with a torn ACL after finishing with 18 receptions for 271 yards and two touchdowns in four games. The 23-year-old will return from his injury in 2026 and be the focal point of the Giants’ offense. Alongside Nabers, the team will lean on Darnell Mooney, Malachi Fields, and Odell Beckham Jr. to be the top weapons for the Giants. Mooney was a free-agent acquisition by New York after he had 32 receptions for 443 yards and a touchdown in 2025 for the Atlanta Falcons. Fields is a rookie wideout who could be impactful for the Giants, and Beckham Jr. is the most intriguing of the receivers, as he used to be a star, but has struggled with injuries, though he didn’t play in the 2025 season.
A former team captain, Slayton is a 29-year-old receiver who will probably be picked up by another NFL team sooner rather than later, as a former late-round pick with a proven track record who has displayed the ability to execute his role as a complementary player without needing more of the spotlight. The Colts were the first team that came to mind following the news of Slayton’s release. The Colts still have Alec Pierce, but they lost Michael Pittman when they traded him to the Steelers during the offseason, and recently signed veteran Keenan Allen, who was arrested late last month for suspected DUI.
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