I see that Darius Slayton is staying away from the Giants’ workouts, hoping to get his contract adjusted. I’m not sure if that will be successful, but I can see where he’s coming from.
The Giants have been a dysfunctional dumpster fire, ranking 31st, 27th and 31s in passing the last three years. The line is terrible, and they don’t have a quarterback (worse still, they’re paying a lesser quarterback as if he’s good). Yet Slayton has been effectively doing his job.
Slayton, I would say, is one of the most underrated wide receivers in the league. He’s not thought of as a receiver of any note, but he’s been a good deep threat.
It’s not easy getting downfield for impact catches, yet Slayton over the last two years has averaged 15.6 yards on his 96 catches. Factoring in incompletions, Slayton has averaged 10.0 yards per pass play over the last two years. Only six other wide receivers with at least 150 targets have done this, and they’re all household names that everyone recognizes and respects – Aiyuk Tyreek, Waddle, Pickens, Jefferson and Nico Collins.
It's reasonable to wonder what kind of career Slayton would have had over the last five years had he been paired with a better quarterback in a better situation.
It must be frustrating for him to be constantly listening to complaints that the Giants need get Jalin Hyatt (their third-round pick a year ago) more involved in the offense. That’s true, of course, but Slayton for the last two years has been doing as a deep threat what they’re hoping they can get Hyatt to do.
Slayton was really clicking at the end of last year, when they put Tyrod Taylor on the field. On 26 plays, that combo combined for 18 catches for 359 yards and 3 TDs, averaging 19.9 per catch. Slayton and Daniel Jones, on the other hand, weren’t much of a connection (13 of 25 for 153 yards, with no touchdowns).
With Tommy DeVito at quarterback, Slayton caught 19 of 28 passes for 258 yards, with a touchdown.
Slayton is entering the final year of a two-year contract worth $12 million. Makes sense him for him to lobby about his contract now, I think, because it will be tough for him to match his 2022-23 efficiency in the upcoming season.
| WIDE RECEIVERS, AVERAGE YARDS PER TARGET (last 2 years) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Tgt | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | YPT |
| Brandon Aiyuk, S.F. | 219 | 153 | 2,357 | 15.4 | 15 | 10.8 |
| Jaylen Waddle, Mia. | 221 | 147 | 2,370 | 16.1 | 12 | 10.7 |
| Tyreek Hill, Mia. | 341 | 238 | 3,509 | 14.7 | 20 | 10.3 |
| George Pickens, Pitt. | 190 | 115 | 1,941 | 16.9 | 9 | 10.2 |
| Nico Collins, Hou. | 175 | 117 | 1,778 | 15.2 | 10 | 10.2 |
| Justin Jefferson, Min. | 284 | 196 | 2,883 | 14.7 | 13 | 10.2 |
| Darius Slayton, NYG | 150 | 96 | 1,494 | 15.6 | 6 | 10.0 |
| A.J. Brown, Phil. | 303 | 194 | 2,952 | 15.2 | 18 | 9.7 |
| Puka Nacua, LAR | 160 | 105 | 1,486 | 14.2 | 6 | 9.3 |
| Amari Cooper, Cle. | 260 | 150 | 2,410 | 16.1 | 14 | 9.3 |
| Jerry Jeudy, Den. | 187 | 121 | 1,730 | 14.3 | 8 | 9.3 |
| CeeDee Lamb, Dall. | 337 | 242 | 3,108 | 12.8 | 21 | 9.2 |
| DeVonta Smith, Phil. | 248 | 176 | 2,262 | 12.9 | 14 | 9.1 |
| Tee Higgins, Cin. | 185 | 116 | 1,685 | 14.5 | 12 | 9.1 |
| Gabe Davis, Buff. | 174 | 93 | 1,582 | 17.0 | 14 | 9.1 |
| Mike Evans, T.B. | 263 | 156 | 2,379 | 15.3 | 19 | 9.0 |
| DJ Moore, Chi. | 254 | 159 | 2,252 | 14.2 | 15 | 8.9 |
| Terry McLaurin, Was. | 252 | 156 | 2,193 | 14.1 | 9 | 8.7 |
| Christian Kirk, Jac. | 218 | 141 | 1,895 | 13.4 | 11 | 8.7 |
| Amon-Ra St. Brown, Det. | 310 | 225 | 2,676 | 11.9 | 16 | 8.6 |
| Chris Olave, N.O. | 257 | 159 | 2,165 | 13.6 | 9 | 8.4 |
| Keenan Allen, LAC | 239 | 174 | 1,995 | 11.5 | 11 | 8.3 |
| Deebo Samuel, S.F. | 183 | 116 | 1,524 | 13.1 | 9 | 8.3 |
| Stefon Diggs, Buff. | 314 | 215 | 2,612 | 12.1 | 19 | 8.3 |
| DK Metcalf, Sea. | 260 | 156 | 2,162 | 13.9 | 14 | 8.3 |
| JaMarr Chase, Cin. | 279 | 187 | 2,262 | 12.1 | 16 | 8.1 |
| Tyler Lockett, Sea. | 239 | 163 | 1,927 | 11.8 | 14 | 8.1 |
| Courtland Sutton, Den. | 199 | 123 | 1,601 | 13.0 | 12 | 8.0 |
| Josh Palmer, LAC | 168 | 110 | 1,350 | 12.3 | 5 | 8.0 |
| Cooper Kupp, LAR | 193 | 134 | 1,549 | 11.6 | 11 | 8.0 |
| Jakobi Meyers, L.V. | 202 | 138 | 1,611 | 11.7 | 14 | 8.0 |
| Tyler Boyd, Cin. | 180 | 125 | 1,429 | 11.4 | 7 | 7.9 |
| Drake London, Atl. | 227 | 141 | 1,771 | 12.6 | 6 | 7.8 |
| Brandin Cooks, Dall. | 174 | 111 | 1,356 | 12.2 | 11 | 7.8 |
| DeAndre Hopkins, Ten. | 233 | 139 | 1,774 | 12.8 | 10 | 7.6 |
| Chris Godwin, T.B. | 272 | 187 | 2,047 | 10.9 | 5 | 7.5 |
| Davante Adams, L.V. | 355 | 203 | 2,660 | 13.1 | 22 | 7.5 |
| K.J. Osborn, Min. | 165 | 108 | 1,190 | 11.0 | 8 | 7.2 |
| Adam Thielen, Car. | 244 | 173 | 1,730 | 10.0 | 10 | 7.1 |
| Michael Pittman, Ind. | 297 | 208 | 2,077 | 10.0 | 8 | 7.0 |
| Curtis Samuel, Was. | 183 | 126 | 1,269 | 10.1 | 8 | 6.9 |
| Diontae Johnson, Pitt. | 234 | 137 | 1,599 | 11.7 | 5 | 6.8 |
| Garrett Wilson, NYJ | 315 | 178 | 2,145 | 12.1 | 7 | 6.8 |
| Romeo Doubs, G.B. | 163 | 101 | 1,099 | 10.9 | 11 | 6.7 |
| Elijah Moore, Cle. | 169 | 96 | 1,086 | 11.3 | 3 | 6.4 |
| Zay Jones, Jac. | 185 | 116 | 1,144 | 9.9 | 7 | 6.2 |
| Marquise Brown, Ari. | 208 | 118 | 1,283 | 10.9 | 7 | 6.2 |
| Robert Woods, Hou. | 166 | 93 | 953 | 10.2 | 3 | 5.7 |
—Ian Allan