Tag: Darius Slayton

Giants’ Darius Slayton wants to play his entire career with Daniel Jones

New York Giants WR Darius Slayton says he’s “blessed” to play alongside Daniel Jones and wants to ride out his career with the QB.

New York Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton has never been shy about his support of quarterback Daniel Jones.

When critics begin to pile on DJ, it’s always Slayton who rushes to his defense first. The 2019 fifth-round pick has even coined the phrase, “Daniel Jones slander will not be tolerated.”

That mantra wasn’t created lightly. Slayton means every word of it.

“I’ve been defending him on social media lately because he would never respond to anybody publicly or give anybody the time of day for that matter,” Slayton recently wrote in The Athletic. “I could get on there and defend myself the same way, but I don’t really care what people say about me. But that’s my quarterback. I’ve got love for him. That’s my guy. I just want him to get the proper respect, that’s all.”

Slayton has taken issue with anyone from members of the media to EA Sports to other NFL teams and to fans. If you bash Jones, Slayton is coming for you.

His love of DJ is genuine. The two have developed a close bond despite being two very different people, and that’s what led Slayton to re-sign with the Giants this offseason.

“Him re-signing here had a lot of influence on my decision to re-sign. I can definitely say if he hadn’t come back that it would have been hard for me to come back here,” Slayton wrote. “It’s almost like if you grew up with a dog and you go home and your dog isn’t there, it almost doesn’t feel like home anymore. So it definitely was a factor. It’s something we definitely were monitoring on our end as we were evaluating other teams. Once he re-signed, there was definitely a sigh of relief.”

Ultimately, Slayton says, he wants to spend his entire career with Jones. If that’s with the Giants, then he prefers to remain in East Rutherford. If that changes somewhere down the line, Slayton will seek to follow.

“I hope I can play with him for my entire career,” Slayton added. “I consider myself blessed, because there have been hundreds of thousands of receivers that have come into this league and had a veteran quarterback or a rough quarterback situation. Getting to grow alongside the franchise guy is a very blessed position to be in. I’m just fortunate I’m here. I’m fortunate I was drafted alongside of him, and I look forward to working with him.”

Daniel Jones may be a lightning rod outside of the building in East Rutherford but inside of it, he’s loved and respected. And that tells you everything you need to know about the Giants’ franchise man.

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Giants’ Darius Slayton aims to shed reputation for dropping passes

New York Giants WR Darius Slayton used tennis balls to work on his issue with drops this offseason.

The New York Giants’ Wild Card playoff game versus the Minnesota Vikings last season could have been a runaway win late in the fourth quarter had wide receiver Darius Slayton held on to the ball on a key third-and-15.

But he did not, which made things more interesting.

The drop could have been more costly than it turned out to be, but the Giants’ defense stopped the Vikings on their final drive to seal a 31-24 victory. That was no solace to Slayton, though, whose teammates and coaches consoled him, even in victory.

The Giants did not hold that drop — or any of his other dropped passes — against him, as they re-signed the fifth-year veteran to a new two-year, $12 million deal this offseason.

This week, Slayton revealed he’s been working on securing the football better this offseason, and used an unusual training method to help do so.

From Darryl Slater of NJ.com:

Slayton worked hard at that this offseason, while training with his personal coach, Drew Lieberman, a former Rutgers and Don Bosco Prep assistant.

Slayton’s big focus was hand placement on his catches. And he caught dozens of tennis ball tosses from Lieberman, as he concentrated on keeping his hands closer together while reaching up to receive the ball. That’s been an issue for Slayton at times — having his hands too far apart.

“A lot people you see catch tennis balls with one [hand],” Slayton said. “But if you catch a tennis ball with two hands, it’s impossible to catch if your hands are any type of wide. They have to be overly close.”

According to Pro Football Focus, Slayton has the highest drop percentage of any receiver in the league over the past two seasons.

This season the Giants are going to open up the offense a bit, something that excites Slayton, who has 15 yards per reception over his four-year career, which is among the highest in the NFL among active players.

Slayton wants to be a big-play receiver and even showed his prowess this week by making a nice diving catch on a Daniel Jones pass down the sideline.

“If you get an opportunity down the field, be conscious of being aggressive to go make the play and for the quarterbacks, when the opportunity presents itself, being aggressive and taking those chances.”

And don’t forget to keep those hands together.

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Giants’ Darius Slayton on Daniel Jones’ ceiling: ‘I don’t think he has one’

New York Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton thinks the sky’s the limit for quarterback Daniel Jones.

The New York Giants added numerous weapons to their passing game this offseason, including tight end Darren Waller and wide receivers Parris Campbell and rookie Jalin Hyatt.

One of the more underrated moves they did to help quarterback Daniel Jones was bringing back his draft mate and good friend, wide receiver Darius Slayton.

Slayton, 26, has been Jones’ top target since the two entered the league in 2019 with Big Blue, catching 155 passes (including playoffs) for more yards (2,290) than any other Giants receiver over that stretch.

Slayton was inked to a two-year, $12 million deal in March to stay with the Giants and Jones. He has taken on the role (Sterling Shepard aside) as the leader in the receivers room, and despite his past woes, is obviously very much in the team’s plans.

Last year, Slayton entered training camp as almost an afterthought. He was entering the last year of his contract and was faced with having to audition for yet another new coaching staff. He was not all-in, as they say.

This summer, he’s one of the Giants’ main guys.

“I think it just stems from my performance,” Slayton said. “This year I performed at a higher level, performed more consistently and the results are showing that whereas last year I probably didn’t put my best foot forward all the time like I’m capable of doing. So ultimately you get the results that you deserve in life, and I feel like right now that’s what’s showing for me.”

Last season, Slayton didn’t start a game until Week 6 after the Giants began losing receivers regularly to injuries. He took the mantle from there, reeling in 46 passes for 724 yards.

In the postseason, he displayed his value to the club with several big plays but also dropped a pass in a key situation, showing his vulnerable side.

Rather than bench the veteran, head coach Brian Daboll consoled Slayton on the sidelines. It was a moment that defined both men, with Daboll as the “players’ coach” and Slayton as a player who needed encouragement rather than criticism.

With Shepard on PUP and possibly headed for a much-reduced role, Slayton is stepping into the leadership role — and he’s enjoying it.

“Yeah, I try my best with our rookies or even maybe guys who are only in their second or third year that maybe haven’t played as much live football, you know. Just kind of making them aware of little things that can trip you up. Sometimes playing receiver, there are little ways to keep yourself off of the bad tape so to speak in the film room, and I try my best to share those tips and tricks and hopefully they absorb it and use it.”

That receivers room might just start getting some respect going forward, but Slayton says the group first has to earn it, mostly because of the backgrounds of most of the players in it.

“I think it just comes from the way that the first year of all of our careers have went,” he said. “We weren’t draft darlings that went in the first round and were the prettiest girl in class. You kind of have to prove it a little more than other guys but that’s fine. You’ve got to take the stairs sometimes in life (but) that’s alright, you get to the top anyways. I think everybody in our group is talented, I think everybody in our group is capable and all we’ve got to do is go out there and show it.”

As for his friend Jones, who cashed in on a $160 million deal this past winter, Slayton says the sky is the limit.

“I don’t think he has one,” Slayton said when asked about Jones’ ceiling. “I think he’s a talented quarterback (and) we’ve got a talented group. As long as we play well (and) we block well, he’ll make all the plays he needs to make.”

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Giants have logjam at wide receiver

The New York Giants will bring at least 15 wide receivers into training camp and half of those won’t make the 53-man roster.

The New York Giants will be taking 15 wide receivers to training camp this week, leading to the question — what is the plan?

Are they just throwing options against the wall to see what sticks? Or are they simply creating competition to see who will rise, or are they safeguarding themselves in case of a repeat of last year when they suffered an unusually high number of injuries?

It could be a little of both. The team found themselves shorthanded last season and they don’t want to get caught short again.

The unit will be run again by assistant coach Mike Groh and he will have a diverse group of players of all shapes, sizes and skill sets who possess a varied level of NFL experience.

Of the 15 players, perhaps eight of them will make the team’s final 53-man roster, and — if things go right — one or two of them could end up leading the team in targets and/or catches.

But that will be difficult. The Giants’ big move this offseason on offense was the trade for former Pro Bowl tight end Darren Waller. He is expected to be heavily involved in the passing game.

So is running back Saquon Barkley, when he returns from his ‘holdout.’ Barkley has been the Giants’ best receiver when healthy the past few years and there’s no reason to stop throwing him the football.  Between he and Waller, there will be fewer opportunities for the wideouts, unless something changes.

So, what should fans expect this summer at wide receiver?

Expect the veterans to get the benefit of the doubt, at least in the beginning. That means initial work for Sterling Shepard, who is returning from another lost season due to injury, and Darius Slayton. Toss in Isaiah Hodgins and Wan’Dale Robinson (when he’s ready), along with free agents Parris Campbell, Jamison Crowder, Jeff Smith, Cole Beasley, and rookie Jalin Hyatt.

The Giants will try to forge a serviceable unit out of those names. They are top-heavy on slot receivers it seems so they might thin the herd there in favor of some outside options.

The others will all have to have monster camps to even be considered. Collin Johnson, David Sills and rookie Bryce Ford-Wheaton are interesting names to watch but where do they fit? Jaydon Mickens, Makai Polk and Kalil Pimpleton are long shots and will have to show special teams prowess to stick.

Wide receiver will be a heavily contested unit this summer and will be a fun one to follow.

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Giants’ Darius Slayton believes he can be a No. 1 WR

New York Giants WR Darius Slayton believes in his ability to be the team’s WR1.

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This past offseason, critics were all over the New York Giants’ needs and the one position that continued to pop up was wide receiver.

Especially, a No. 1 wide receiver.

General manager Joe Schoen told reporters on more than one occasion that he felt a team could win consistently without a ‘No. 1′ wideout. Yet, the critics railed on.

Schoen did fortify his receiving corps this offseason, trading for Pro Bowl tight end Darren Waller, adding speedster Parris Campbell in free agency and then drafting Tennessee deep threat Jalin Hyatt.

Schoen also adroitly re-signed the Giants’ top wide receiver over the past four seasons, Darius Slayton.

Slayton was a fifth-round draft pick out of Auburn in 2019 and immediately formed a bond with fellow rookie Daniel Jones, the Giants’ quarterback. Slayton was as big a ‘go-to’ receiver as someone the biggest names in the NFL.

From Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post:

Slayton, who has 170 catches for 2,554 yards and 15 touchdowns in 59 games (40 starts) over his first four NFL seasons, appears on that list next to future Hall of Famers, Offensive Player of the Year winners, All-Pros, Pro Bowlers and contract record-setters.

Surprised? Here is the full group of three- or four-time leading receivers from 2019-22: Diggs (Bills), Justin Jefferson (Vikings), Davante Adams (Packers), Cooper Kupp (Rams), A.J. Brown (Titans), Travis Kelce (Chiefs), Mark Andrews (Ravens), Terry McLaurin (Commanders), D.J. Moore (Panthers), Diontae Johnson (Steelers), Brandin Cooks (Texans), Jakobi Meyers (Patriots) and Slayton (740 yards in 2019, 751 in 2020 and 724 in 2022).

Slayton sees himself as No. 1 and explained to The Post why he feels that way.

“You see this guy go for 1,010 [yards] or see a guy go for 100 yards every week, and you go, ‘He’s really good,’” Slayton said. “Some of these guys play with nobody. I play with Saquon [Barkley]. Where do you think the ball is going first? Not me. We had Shep (Sterling Shepard), Evan Engram and now Darren.”

“I didn’t play with just a bunch of bums. That’s a little annoying because at the end of the day, it’s not like I’ve ever been the only person or one person to get the ball, whereas somebody [else] is. It is what it is. At the end of the day, I just play to win. As long as the Giants win, I’ll be alright.”

And that is what the Giants believe as well. They are not locked into individual statistics. That is why Slayton, who was once thought to be on his way out of New York, is back on a multi-year deal.

PFN ranks Giants’ Jalin Hyatt as one of NFL’s fastest players

Pro Football Network named New York Giants WR Jalin Hyatt among the NFL’s fastest players but snubbed WR Darius Slayton.

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Someone tell New York Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton to put on earmuffs because he’s not going to like this.

Dalton Miller of Pro Football Network recently ranked the NFL’s 11 fastest players and although a Giant did make the list, it was not the speedy Slayton. Rather, it was rookie third-round pick, Jalin Hyatt.

Jalin Hyatt ran the most disappointing 4.40 in the history of the NFL Combine. It was a peculiar result considering his 1.5 10-yard split landed in the 97th percentile while his 20 and 40-yard splits hovered around the 94th percentile. And yes, that was disappointing.

Because anybody who watched Hyatt play knew he was capable of much, much more. College wide receivers run past safeties and cornerbacks all the time. There are silly coverage gaffes in every game that make it look like a DB is in quicksand. But Hyatt did that to Alabama, and while there were some issues in coverage, his dominance was athletic in nature. He simply has another gear over anyone else he’s shared the field with.

Hyatt’s not a very good receiver at this point. In order to become a reliable target, there’s a lot he must improve upon, even as a more one-dimensional downfield threat. Nevertheless, Hyatt’s speed will immediately help the Giants’ offense situationally because he will occupy safeties downfield and open up the middle for Daniel Jones and the passing attack.

The whole “not a complete wide receiver” narrative aside, Hyatt is about as fast as they come. In fact, former Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton has already gone on record saying Hyatt is faster than Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill, who topped the PFN list.

“All I can say is (that) Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle aren’t the fastest in the NFL no more,” Milton said in May. “That guy is running.”

But Slayton isn’t on board with any of this. He insists he’s still the Giants’ fastest player and therefore the fastest player in the NFL.

“It has to be me,” Slayton responded when asked who was faster him or Hyatt. “Love him, great kid, but it has to be me.

“As a speed guy, I lean towards other speed guys. I like watching people flying around fast. We’ve got a lot of them now. Parris was a 4.30 guy. Jeff Smith was a 4.2 guy, low 4.3 guy. And Hyatt obviously could fly. I could fly. You turn on the film, it’s a whole lot of flying. I mean, it’s fun to watch, fun to play with guys like that.”

The fact that Slayton didn’t even warrant an “honorable mention” from Pro Football Network is surprising and something the 2019 fifth-round pick will undoubtedly like to have a word about.

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Giants’ Darius Slayton named NFL’s most underrated wide receiver

Bleacher Report has named New York Giants WR Darius Slayton the most underrated wide receiver in the NFL ahead of the 2023 season.

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As the 2022 New York Giants’ offseason neared its end, a roster spot for wide receiver Darius Slayton was far from guaranteed. And while Slayton did ultimately make the team’s roster, it was quite a rocky start.

After season-ending injuries to Sterling Shepard and Wan’Dale Robinson along with Kenny Golladay and Kadarius Toney failing to contribute, Slayton quickly climbed the depth chart.

Recently, Bleacher Report listed Slayton as the most underrated wide receiver in the NFL ahead of the 2023 season.

1. Darius Slayton, New York Giants

Fantasy Ranking: No. 75

The New York Giants have utilized a run-heavy offense and haven’t consistently relied on quarterback Daniel Jones’ arm. That has and will continue to limit the overall production of wideout Darius Slayton.

Still, the 26-year-old’s fantasy ranking feels low.

Outside of fantasy, Slayton also remains underrated, and the offseason additions of Darren Waller and rookie Jalen Hyatt will likely keep him overlooked in New York. Even in an inconsistent Giants passing attack, though, he has topped 700 yards in three of his four seasons and has provided a passer rating above 96.0 in two of them.

What’s really impressive about Slayton is his efficiency. This past season, he ranked fourth in the NFL in yards per target (10.2), behind only A.J. Brown, Jaylen Waddle and Dallas Goedert—and one spot ahead of Tyreek Hill.

Slayton also possesses a ton of upside, with good size (6’1″, 190 lbs) and 4.39 speed. The key to unlocking that potential will be allowing Jones to stretch the field, which could be in the cards this season.

“Walking away from last season, explosive (plays) were the thing we needed more of, so I think this spring there’s been a conscious effort to push the ball down the field,” Slayton said, per SNY’s Alex Smith.

If Brian Daboll and Mike Kafka are willing to open up the Giants offense this year, Slayton could finally shine.

Two former Giants also made Bleacher Report’s list: Kaliff Raymond (3rd) and Richie James (2nd), who climbed his way up the depth chart last season, just as Slayton did.

Slayton and Daniel Jones have built a trustworthy connection in the passing game since being drafted together in 2019. Slayton has become a Daniel Jones advocate and actually credited his QB as the reason he returned to Big Blue.

Even after climbing the depth chart last season, Slayton was overshadowed by the emergence of Isaiah Hodgins.

Slayton will continue to be featured in the Giants’ passing game despite the weapons added this offseason.

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Rankings: Who is the best wide receiver in the NFC East?

We’re ranking the top wide receivers in the NFC East and here’s where Philadelphia Eagles A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith landed

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There’s been a changing of the guard in the NFC East quarterback hierarchy, and a major part of Jalen Hurts passing Dak Prescott centers around his dynamic duo at wide receiver.

The NFL’s most competitive division has elite talent at the wide receiver spot, with every team except the Giants have a bonafide trio of players to rely on.

With training camp quickly approaching for all 32 NFL teams, we’re ranking the best wide receivers in the NFC East from top to bottom.

Darius Slayton still believes he’s the Giants’ fastest player

The New York Giants have several blazing fast wide receivers but Darius Slayton still believes he’s the fastest.

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The New York Giants believe they have added speed to their roster this offseason, especially at the wide receiver position.

Free agents Parris Campbell, Jeff Smith, Bryce Ford-Wheaton and this year’s third-round draft pick, Jalin Hyatt, have all logged in superb times in the 40-yard dash over their careers with times of 4.31, 4.34, 4.38 and 4.40, respectively.

Add those names to the incumbent speedster Darius Slayton and there’s going to be a lot of competition for the title of who’s the fastest in the Giants’ wide receiver room.

Slayton, at the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine, was clocked at 4.39 in the 40, which was actually fifth that year among wideouts behind Campbell, Andy Isabella, D.K. Metcalf, Mecole Hardman and Terry McLaurin.

“It has to be me,” Slayton responded when asked who was faster him or Hyatt. “Love him, great kid, but it has to be me.”

Speaking to reporters at the Giants’ OTA session on Wednesday, Slayton — a 2019 firth round draft pick out of Auburn who was re-signed this past offseason — spoke about the sudden injection of speed into the Giants’ receiving corps.

“As a speed guy, I lean towards other speed guys. I like watching people flying around fast. We’ve got a lot of them now,” Slayton said. “Parris was a 4.30 guy. Jeff Smith was a 4.2 guy, low 4.3 guy. And Hyatt obviously could fly. I could fly. You turn on the film, it’s a whole lot of flying. I mean, it’s fun to watch, fun to play with guys like that.”

Many thought the Giants might be done with Slayton when his contract ran out after last season. Too many drops, including a key one against Minnesota in the postseason last year, and perceived inconsistency over his four years here were reasons why fans wouldn’t ride if the Giants let him walk.

The Giants, on the other hand, are smarter these days. They know Slayton has been their top receiver since arriving here in 2019, plus he’s developed a strong rapport with quarterback Daniel Jones. And when DJ signed a new deal, Slayton chose to return over going elsewhere.

“I think there’s a lot in limbo this offseason. D.J. was out there. A lot of us were free agents, that type of deal. But I think once he came back, I think it made all the sense in the world to keep playing with him. Got great chemistry with him. I enjoy being a part of this franchise. So, for me, it just made the most sense to come back,” he said.

The reality is, Slayton has been one of the top deep threats in the NFL over the past few seasons. Last year, he averaged 15.7 yards per reception — his highest ever — which put him fifth among wideouts who had 70 or more targets behind Jaylen Waddle, Gabe Davis, A.J. Brown and Marquez Valdes-Scantling.

Slayton has averaged 15.0 yards per catch over his four seasons on 170 receptions. In the Super Bowl era, that places him only behind the likes of Lionel Manuel (17.0), Earnest Gray (15.5) and Plaxixo Burress (15.1) and tied with Victor Cruz for the best career YPC of Giants players with over 170 receptions.

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Darius Slayton chose to re-join Giants after Daniel Jones was signed

Darius Slayton said it made sense for him to re-join the New York Giants after Daniel Jones was signed to a long-term deal.

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When the New York Giants signed Daniel Jones to a long-term deal minutes before the franchise tag deadline, there was a domino effect that followed.

The move meant Big Blue could use the franchise tag on running back Saquon Barkley while also giving them the flexibility to be active in free agency.

Darius Slayton, who re-signed with the Giants over other teams, revealed on Wednesday that his decision to return came immediately after DJ was inked to a new deal.

“I think there was a lot in limbo this offseason. DJ was out there. A lot of us were free agents, that type of deal. But I think once he came back, I think it made all the sense in the world to keep playing with him. Got great chemistry with him,” Slayton told reporters. “I enjoy being a part of this franchise. So, for me, it just made the most sense to come back.”

Slayton has built chemistry with the Giants’ quarterback since the two were drafted together in 2019. Slayton has always been a big advocate of Jones so it makes sense that Jones’ new deal triggered Slayton’s return.

After being on the bubble for a roster spot last offseason, Slayton stepped up when the Giants needed him most and ended up leading the team in receiving yardage.

Hopefully, with the added weapons, Slayton will be relied on a little less this season. However, having a familiar trustworthy target will benefit DJ, especially early in the season.

Jones being a big part of Slayton choosing the Giants over other teams is a testament to the type of player and teammate he is.

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