The New York Giants signed Darnell Mooney because he was previously coached by Matt Nagy in Chicago and wanted to see if their reunion could unlock his old form. His one-year deal, worth up to $10 million, gave him a chance to revive his career.
The Giants were so desperate for receiver depth behind Malik Nabers that this was the route they took, even though Mooney was coming off a disappointing campaign in Atlanta that was riddled with injuries. Still, they thought he would be their WR2, so of course, this signing hasn't gone as planned.
For a minute there in OTAs, the veteran wideout looked destined for a career revival, but instead, he looks like the one stain on what was overall a very successful first free agent class in New York for John Harbaugh. He's caught just nine passes for 113 yards and has three carries for 32 yards through the first seven weeks of the season despite being healthy and having a clear path to a starting job.
Let's just go over some of the players with more receiving than him in 2026:
- Josh Cuevas
- Efton Chism
- Dohnte Myers
- Konata Mumpfield
- Elijah Higgins
- Jordan Watkins
Frankly, that's incredibly disappointing, even relative to expectations. All fans would've wanted to see was a 500- or 600-yard season for the guy. That's all it would've taken for Harbaugh to consider bringing him back for another year, but instead, there is no place for him in the Giants' long-term plans.
Yes, it was a low-stakes deal that came with just $3 million in guaranteed money, so it's hard to be too broken-hearted that he didn't pan out, but things might be reaching an all-time low: his starting job might be in jeopardy even after Darius Slayton and Odell Beckham Jr. were let go by the team.
Thanks to Malachi Fields, there is no room for Darnell Mooney in the Giants' long-term plans
While Darnell Mooney has been struggling to become a reliable target regardless of who's been under center, he's also been getting outshined by a younger option with a higher ceiling in rookie wideout Malachi Fields, who has started to earn more trust from the coaching staff in recent weeks.
Compared to the 29-year-old, who caught one pass for four yards in the 27-21 overtime win over the Houston Texans, Fields caught four of five targets for 83 yards, including a catch-and-run for a 47-yard gain where J.J. McCarthy threaded the needle to him, and he just kept churning for the rest. His opportunities haven't been the most consistent, but when he gets them, he's made the most of thet.
Let's put it like this: at 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, Fields is bigger than Mooney, he's a more reliable red-zone threat, and a more willing participant as a run blocker. And let me remind you, the third-round rookie is almost six years younger, so if New York wants a WR2 to grow with this offense behind Nabers, it's fairly obvious who is better suited for the job.
The Giants have given Darnell Mooney every opportunity to establish himself as someone they can rely on, but the sad truth is that he's one of the less reliable players in the NFL, and the G-Men would be better off sticking with Nabers, Fields, and drafting another WR in 2027 rather than retaining him.
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