Darius Slayton likely didn’t expect to be cut by the New York Giants.
He’d been such a reliable player for them for years and years, but at the end of the preseason, they determined they didn’t have a spot for him.
The veteran, who doesn’t really seem to be over the hill yet, was a free agent, unexpectedly.
It took him a few weeks to sort everything out, but now he has a new home.
This week, the Indianapolis Colts signed Slayton. It came in the aftermath of losing their No. 1 wide receiver, Alec Pierce, to injured reserve with a heel injury.
It’s a signing that has a chance to be pivotal, because the Colts have begun the season 0-2 and need a spark — and someone to at least slightly replicate Pierce’s big-play ability. Slayton is going to have to be that guy, and it’s what he signed up for.
Darius Slayton on Alec Pierce
Slayton spoke with reporters on Wednesday, and he shared details on his free agent process.
“Yeah, a few teams reached out over the span of the last week,” Slayton said.
He then noted the two-sided reality of the Pierce injury for a free agent wideout like himself watching from home.
“I saw that (Alec) Pierce went down,” Slayton said. “Obviously, I wasn’t cheering for that, but obviously I knew that kind of would provide some opportunity here.”
Did Darius Slayton have other options than the #Colts?
“Yeah, a few teams reached out over the span of the last week. …”
“I saw that (Alec) Pierce went down. Obviously, I wasn’t cheering for that, but obviously I knew that kind of would provide some opportunity here. …” pic.twitter.com/pxGqY5La1P
— James Boyd (@RomeovilleKid) September 23, 2026
The circumstances become irrelevant as the season goes forward. The fact is that Slayton plays for the Colts now, and he has to deliver.
Darius Slayton Career Timeline
Slayton, a 2019 fifth-round pick from Auburn, put together a quality career for the Giants.
He had 48 catches for 740 yards as a rookie, and he topped 700 yards in four of his first five NFL seasons.
In his seven-year NFL career, Slayton has 296 grabs for 4,435 yards and 22 touchdowns.
His 15.0 yards per catch in his career isn’t up to Pierce’s level, but it will be the closest thing the Colts have to a big-play threat with Pierce out — Pierce led the NFL in yards per catch last season.
Last season with New York, Slayton caught 37 passes for 538 yards in 14 games played.
Slayton won’t turn 30 years old until January, so there’s reason to believe he still has some ability left to show off in the NFL.
Whether the Colts can incorporate him in Week 3 remains to be seen, but you can expect him out there sooner rather than later.
Darius Slayton Talks Alec Pierce Injury, Why He Chose Colts