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Darius Slayton

Giants receiver staying away

Story out of Giants camp that veteran wideout Darius Slayton is skipping voluntary workouts. That's fine -- they're voluntary -- but I think he'd be wise to show up. If I were him, I'd be collecting the $8.15 million I'm due this season and being pretty happy about it.

Yes, Slayton is New York's most proven, established receiver. He comes off a 50-catch, 770-yard receiving season, career-highs (and impressive considering the quarterbacking the team has had in recent years). He's been as good or better than the team could have reasonably hoped for out of a wideout in this passing game.

But he also hasn't set the world on fire, either, and the team has several wide receivers that are both younger and were drafted a lot earlier, Wan'Dale Robinson and rookie 6th-overall pick Malik Nabers. Last year's third-rounder Jalin Hyatt, too. Just because Slayton has been the best the team has had doesn't mean he's done anything they're really clinging to. They can rank next-to-last in passing offense without him just as easily as they've done with him.

In Slayton's five-year career, 53 other wide receivers have played in at least 50 games and seen at least 200 targets. I included the targets threshold because I wanted guys who are actually part of the offense, as opposed to just special teamers and whatnot. Only two of those wideouts have averaged fewer catches per game than Slayton. It's hard to contend that he will be missed.

Table compiled using the search tools at pro-football-reference.com.

WR RECEPTIONS/GAME, 2019-2023
PlayerGNoRecTDNo/G
Keenan Allen694845324317.0
Davante Adams765246584566.9
Cooper Kupp694655631406.7
Justin Jefferson603925899306.5
Tyreek Hill774946884516.4
Stefon Diggs815086502436.3
Chris Godwin724365323266.1
CeeDee Lamb663955145326.0
DeAndre Hopkins674004918316.0
Michael Pittman Jr.623363662155.4
Calvin Ridley502603537265.2
Tyler Lockett814185213405.2
Diontae Johnson773914363255.1
D.J. Moore814055777275.0
Amari Cooper793895578354.9
A.J. Brown773795947424.9
DeVonta Smith502403178194.8
Adam Thielen723443799404.8
Mike Evans773675577544.8
Cole Beasley502372473114.7
Terry McLaurin803785283254.7
Christian Kirk733344207254.6
D.K. Metcalf823725332434.5
Tyler Boyd803614144214.5
Robert Woods713183579154.5
Jarvis Landry522322856124.5
Tee Higgins582573684244.4
Brandin Cooks743244126254.4
JuJu Smith-Schuster602612705164.4
Marquise Brown723133644284.3
Brandon Aiyuk622693931254.3
Allen Robinson713053426174.3
Deebo Samuel662834122194.3
Mike Williams622554047214.1
Russell Gage592382428144.0
Jakobi Meyers763063565164.0
Courtland Sutton652563555203.9
Julio Jones552162972153.9
Marvin Jones682623153253.9
Curtis Samuel692632774173.8
Jerry Jeudy572113053113.7
Hunter Renfrow732692884173.7
DeVante Parker662393443183.6
Darnell Mooney602132593113.6
Odell Beckham Jr.511762456153.5
Jamison Crowder612102198153.4
DJ Chark581982895233.4
Michael Gallup702333237193.3
Laviska Shenault Jr.51158155163.1
Robbie Chosen742242802153.0
Chase Claypool581752261133.0
Darius Slayton762203324192.9
Kendrick Bourne722062665172.9
Zay Jones73204206092.8

Maybe Slayton deserves better. His quarterbacks haven't been good, and he can't throw the ball to himself. Put him on a better roster in a better passing game, and he'd doubtless be more productive.

But I don't think the Giants will be giving him a raise or extending him this summer. They're hoping that Robinson and Nabers step up, and they've got other functional pass catchers. I think Slayton should take his $8M and hope he performs well enough that he gets a big deal from someone next offseason. It's unlikely to happen this one.

--Andy Richardson

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