You know what they say: you can take the New Jersey out of Sterling Shepard, but you can’t take Sterling Shepard out of New Jersey... or something really close to that, I think.
NFL insider Mike Garafolo reported on Tuesday afternoon that the former New York Giants wide receiver signed with the crosstown rival Jets’ practice squad in an effort to shore up a receiver room that’s awfully thin following a Week 1 injury to first-round rookie Omar Cooper Jr. That left them with four wideout options remaining, with Tim Patrick on Injured Reserve.
Funny enough, Shepard might’ve just taken away an opportunity from one of his former teammates in the process. He and Darius Slayton spent five seasons together in East Rutherford (2019-203) before Shepard left for Tampa Bay in 2024. Three years later, Shepard might've inadvertently made Slayton’s search for a new home a bit more difficult.
Jets' Sterling Shepard signing may have closed an obvious door for Darius Slayton
Slayton’s still looking for work after the Giants surprisingly released him eight days after he made the initial 53-man roster and less than a week before the season opener. It didn’t take long for the Jets to emerge as a logical landing spot.
The Jet Press’ Charlie Baduini recently pointed to Slayton as perhaps their best option following Cooper’s injury, writing:
"The Jets may have no choice but to add a wide receiver this week ahead of their Week 2 matchup against the Green Bay Packers, and veteran wide receiver Darius Slayton may be the best available option."
Shepard’s arrival obviously makes that fit a little less obvious. Fortunately for Slayton, the Jets aren’t the only team suddenly looking for receiver help. Ebony Bird’s Connor Burke connected the 29-year-old with Baltimore following injuries to Zay Flowers and Ja’kobi Lane:
"Slayton looks to be the best option on the market right now. If there’s mutual interest, the Ravens should definitely try to swing a deal to bring in another weapon for Lamar Jackson."
Which makes the timing of Slayton's release even more confounding. The G-Men presumably explored the trade market before cutting him. If there was something worth taking, you’d imagine general manager Joe Schoen would’ve taken it rather than cutting ties with the then-longest-tenured Giants for nothing. Yesterday’s price isn’t today’s rate, though.
The New England Patriots lost A.J. Brown to an ankle injury, while San Francisco 49ers rookie De’Zhaun Stribling is expected to miss at least a month with one of his own. Add Baltimore’s injuries to the mix, and suddenly there are plenty of receiver-needy teams popping out of the woodwork.
Slayton might not be reuniting with his old teammate in New Jersey, but with Week 1 apparently declaring war on wide receivers, I'd expect the seven-year vet to find his new home sooner rather than later.
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