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If the New York Giants are going to be sellers ahead of the 2024 NFL trade deadline, wide receiver Darius Slayton is a player who could be moved, according to ESPN Senior NFL Insider Adam Schefter.
He appeared on an edition of “Get Up” on Thursday, October 17 and included Slayton in a list of “notable trade candidates.” As Schefter put it, “There are a lot of wide receivers available if you decide that that’s the way you want to go.”
There are a few good reasons why Slayton makes sense as a potential trade chip, even though he’s a veteran who has a rapport with struggling quarterback Daniel Jones.
Dealing Darius Slayton Makes Sense
Slayton will appeal to receiver-needy teams because of his straight-line speed and ability to take the top off defenses. Those qualities have helped the 27-year-old average at least 15 yards per reception during four of his six seasons in the pros.
Status as a vertical playmaker is further enhanced by Slayton also tallying double-digit yards before catch in all but one campaign, according to Pro Football Reference. The problem is the Giants don’t need Slayton’s deep threat as much as they used to, for a couple of reasons.
One involves stud running back Saquon Barkley no longer being on the team. The two-time Pro Bowler was allowed to leave in free agency and is about to suit up for bitter rivals the Philadelphia Eagles against his old team in Week 7.
Barkley is likely in for a tepid reception on his return to MetLife Stadium, but he used to be the oil in the engine for Big Blue’s offense. Then it helped to have Slayton on the perimeter, where his speed would keep safeties deep and ensure Barkley faced lighter boxes on the ground.
The Giants are now less ground and pound and more pass-heavy without Barkley. They’ve run the ball 164 times, compared with 220 pass attempts.
An expanded pass attack is less about select deep shots and more about receivers who can get open and make plays at every level of the field. That’s not Slayton, but it is top rookie Malik Nabers.
The sixth player taken in this year’s draft is already a star. One who’s set to return from concussion this week, per Schefter’s colleague Jordan Raanan.
Nabers is the headline act, but Wan’Dale Robinson is a yards-after-catch machine underneath. His skill-set is complemented by second-year pro Jalin Hyatt, who’s a more explosive burner than Slayton.
The Giants have a scheme and receiver corps no longer suited to Slayton’s game, but the shift in philosophy has yet to result in more wins. That’s the other reason the Giants should consider a trade.
2-4 Giants Should Be Trade Sellers
This season hasn’t quite gotten away from the Giants, but the team is still getting comfy in the danger zone. Last week’s 17-7 flop against the Cincinnati Bengals was a low point and a sign another full-scale rebuild is inevitable.
Head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen may not get the chance to perform the next make-over. Not if they preside over a second-straight losing season to follow 2022’s surprise playoff berth and postseason win.
Schoen and Daboll could at least begin the process of equipping the next regime with extra draft capital by dealing Slayton. He’s already been named a possible fit to help the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs cope with injuries at receiver.
Flipping Slayton for a mid- or even late-round pick would be smart future-proofing by the Giants.
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