Updated

Updated · Fox News · Sep 8

Giants Release Darius Slayton, Saving $3 Million as New Receivers Crowd 53-Man Roster

Updated

Updated · Fox News · Sep 8

Giants Release Darius Slayton, Saving $3 Million as New Receivers Crowd 53-Man Roster

Q: Will relying on an aging Odell Beckham Jr. backfire on New York after releasing their most dependable deep threat?

Yes, it could backfire if the Giants are counting on Odell Beckham Jr. to replace what Darius Slayton reliably gave them, especially early in the season. Slayton was not a star, but he was New York’s most dependable vertical threat for years. He leaves with 296 catches, 4,435 yards and four 700-yard seasons, and he regularly stretched defenses even when the rest of the passing game was unstable. For a young quarterback like Jaxson Dart, that kind of familiar field-tilting option matters. Beckham is a different bet. The Giants structured his one-year deal as an extremely low-risk contract with no guarantees and multiple injury waivers tied to his knee, ankle and pelvis/groin area. That is strong evidence the team itself is wary of his durability. He has not played since 2024 and has appeared in only 23 games since 2021. At 33, expecting him to handle a major volume role is risky. The Giants can justify the move if Beckham is only part of a larger rotation. Darnell Mooney still offers speed, rookie Malachi Fields has flashed vertical ability, and Malik Nabers’ return would change the equation entirely. Beckham’s value is more as a situational target, possession option and veteran presence than as a true replacement for Slayton’s downfield consistency. So the release becomes a problem only if New York needs Beckham to be prime Beckham. If Nabers is limited and Fields is inconsistent, losing Slayton’s availability and deep-threat stability could look like a costly gamble.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Sep 8

New York cut Darius Slayton from its 53-man roster at the start of Week 1, ending the seven-year Giants tenure of the club’s longest-serving player.
The move saves about $3 million in cap space, though Slayton had been carrying a $15.9 million cap hit for 2026.
Receiver turnover helped drive the decision: the Giants added Calvin Austin III, Darnell Mooney and Odell Beckham Jr. in free agency and drafted Malachi Fields in the third round.
Slayton’s release also points to Malik Nabers trending toward Week 1 availability, even though the Giants have not confirmed their top wideout will play against Dallas.
Slayton, a 2019 fifth-round pick who posted 740 yards and eight touchdowns as a rookie, said on X he was grateful for his time in New York and is looking to what comes next.