The New York Giants released wide receiver Darius Slayton, their longest-tenured player, on Monday with six days before the season opener.
Slayton was entering his eighth year with the Giants, who drafted him in the fifth round in 2019. He had started 78 of his 106 career games for the franchise, spanning head coaches Pat Shurmur, Joe Judge and Brian Daboll.
Slayton recently told the Trentonian he was looking forward to what new coach John Harbaugh was instilling in New York.
“I think we’ve been well-prepared,” Slayton told the newspaper. “I think we’ve been well-acclimated, conditioned to be able to play football. And I think our mindset and the mentality that we’ve kind of adopted from Coach (Harbaugh), I think he’s done a good job of having his imprint on this team. And I think that’ll show during the season.”
Instead, the Giants will embark on the Harbaugh era without Slayton. Third-year star Malik Nabers, free agent signing Darnell Mooney, third-round rookie Malachi Fields and longtime Giants star Odell Beckham Jr. are the only four receivers left on the active roster before Sunday’s opener against the Dallas Cowboys.
Slayton, 29, had signed a three-year, $36 million contract with the Giants last year. Releasing him now saves the team $2.5 million, per reports.
Slayton appeared in 14 games (12 starts) last year and caught 37 passes for 538 yards and one touchdown. He has career totals of 296 receptions, 4,435 yards and 22 TDs.
