For the first time in his career, wide receiver Darius Slayton is set to become a free agent after spending the first six seasons of his career with the New York Giants. Even though he has yet to surpass the 1,000-yard mark as a wide receiver, Slayton showed that he was a steal in the 2019 NFL Draft when New York selected him in the fifth round.
While the 2024 season for the 28-year-old was not the year he was hoping for after setting a career-high in receiving in 2023 with 770 receiving yards, Slayton has become a fan favorite and would certainly be a reliable veteran presence for the next quarterback for the Giants, whoever that may be. But in a recent interview, Slayton is sending a clear message about his uncertain future in New York.
Darius Slayton hints at exploring all options in 2025 free agency
In an interview with the New York Post, Slayton spoke with Ryan Dunleavy and gave a pretty blunt answer when asked about his future with Big Blue and whether or not he would like to come back for a seventh season.
"My main priority is just being an integral part of whatever offense I’m [in]," Slayton said. "I think I’ve shown that I’m a good football player. I’ve shown that I’m a positive impact in whatever offense I’m a part of. My primary goal is to get somewhere, or be a part of an offense, where I have a chance to impact the game every Sunday."
When talking about his future with the Giants, Slayton was also asked if he would come back, especially with both head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen set to return.
It sure sounds like Slayton would be open to a seventh year in New York. However, Slayton's comments about wanting to get involved more on offense hint at a potential new team after not having such a major impact on the Giants' offense in 2024.
Read more: Darius Slayton's upcoming free agency will say a lot about Joe Schoen
He had just 39 receptions during the regular season for 539 yards and two touchdowns in 16 games for a Giants offense that was ranked toward the bottom of the league in nearly every offensive category in 2024. So, you can't really blame Slayton for a lack of receptions and yards this past regular season, especially when the season for the Giants saw a quarterback change with Daniel Jones being released and a quarterback carousel that eventually followed, with Drew Lock, Tommy DeVito, and even veteran backup Tim Boyle seeing playing time at the quarterback position.
This is going to be a very interesting offseason for the Giants, with the focus being mainly on who their next quarterback may be. But it should still be focused on Slayton's pending free agency. New York has many talented weapons in their receiving corps, including Malik Nabers, Jalin Hyatt, and Wan'Dale Robinson. Could Slayton be involved in this corps when the Giants kick off their season in 2025? Based on Slayton's recent comments, that remains to be seen.