When the New York Giants drafted Auburn receiver Darius Slayton in 2019, he joined a veteran-heavy team midway through a rebuild.
Moving to the NFL, especially on a team needing receiver depth, obviously had its many pros. But there was one thing — or, to be specific, one player — whom the Giants lacked going into the 2019 season.
The Giants traded Beckham, an accomplished wideout and fan favorite, to the Cleveland Browns less than two months earlier. The three-time Pro Bowler has since bounced around the league, whereas Slayton is the longest-tenured Giant.
Now, the two are finally teammates, and Slayton can’t hide his excitement.
“I literally just missed Odell on the front end,” Slayton told reporters. “He almost felt like a fake unicorn [or] mythical creature that departed before I came.”
What should the Giants expect from Darius Slayton and Odell Beckham Jr.?
By now, you know the deal with Beckham and his lack of steady production. His familiarity with John Harbaugh gives him a slight edge in the battle for what would likely be the final roster spot, assuming that the Giants intend to carry six receivers.
Barring injury or an unexpected — and incredibly risky — trade to a team craving another starting receiver, Slayton is guaranteed an eighth season in New York. He’s been a full participant in training camp after offseason sports hernia surgery cost him OTAs.
Harbaugh told reporters on Saturday that Slayton has looked “really fast” since returning. Last year marked his fewest catches and receiving yards since 2021, and he caught only one touchdown in 14 games.
As for Beckham, it’s unclear how much he’ll play during the preseason. Although he’s technically trying to make the Giants, it’d be an awkward sight to see the 33-year-old receiver participating in a meaningless fourth-quarter drive. And while Beckham doesn’t have a position of leverage, you’ll understand our skepticism that Harbaugh would put all parties in such a predicament.
I personally wonder whether Beckham would accept playing that deep into a preseason game if asked. He’s not a bottom-of-the-roster player looking to prove that he’s worthy of a practice squad spot. He’s a former “Madden” cover athlete and Super Bowl champion with nearly 600 catches and 8,000 receiving yards.
Regardless, Slayton likes what he’s seen from both Beckham and the other receivers. In addition to Beckham, the Giants signed four veterans — Darnell Mooney, Calvin Austin III, Braxton Berrios, and JuJu Smith-Schuster — this offseason and used a third-round pick on Notre Dame’s Malachi Fields.
“There’s a lot of really good football players in our room right now,” Slayton said. “It’s raised the competition level.”
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