The New York Giants have just over 24 hours to finalize their 53-man roster, considering every team needs to trim their roster down ahead of the 6 PM deadline on Sunday evening.
New York has some tough decisions to make, particularly at wide receiver. After an offseason veteran pass-catcher musical chairs, the picture is starting to become slightly clearer.
Malik Nabers is the de facto WR1 when he’s healthy, and third-round rookie Malachi Fields has come on strong throughout training camp and the preseason. Darnell Mooney and Odell Beckham Jr. are coming up close behind as likely roster locks.
But one veteran wide receiver who was previously thought to be a lock may find himself on the outside looking in, despite his $36 million contract.
Darius Slayton Named Shocking Cut Candidate
In a surprise twist, the New York Post’s Paul Schwartz reports that New York Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton is at risk of not making the team ahead of final roster cuts, despite his bloated contract.
“The longest-tenured Giants player might be on the way out. Darius Slayton might not make the cut, The Post has learned. All summer, it was assumed Slayton would be on the roster, even though he clearly was not moving the same following surgery to repair a sports hernia,” reported Schwartz.
“What seemed to protect his place on the team was that he was entering the second year of a three-year, $36 million contract and parting ways with him would be onerous to the Giants’ salary cap. Well, financial considerations are not going to save Slayton.”
Schwartz pointed out that Slayton played 33 snaps on offense in New York’s preseason finale against the New York Jets. Considering the Giants rested most of their key starters on both offense and defense, that’s not exactly a good sign.
That’s the same amount of reps that Beckham, Isaiah Hodgins, and Dalen Cambre all played on Friday night. All three are expected to be fighting for their own roster spots as well.
With Slayton in that same group, it’s fair to say his spot is not a lock as once thought, despite the dead cap hit he carries if he’s cut.
Financial Ramifications of Parting Ways With Darius Slayton
While the New York Giants can certainly cut Slayton, it wouldn’t come without penalty. Entering the second year of a three-year, $36 million contract, his departure would leave Big Blue with a sizable dead cap charge.
Slayton is tabbed as a $15.9 million cap charge in 2026 per Spotrac, and if cut, would count against the cap with $15.75 million in dead money.
According to Over the Cap, the Giants only have about $10.4 million in cap space available to them, making a release incredibly complicated.
The most palatable way to part ways with Slayton would be a trade, but considering his struggles over the summer, it’s hard to imagine a team sending draft capital to acquire the 29-year-old wideout.
If things get dire, the Giants’ only choice may be attaching a pick to Slayton to get his contract off their books, saving them from having to eat the dead money.
With just over 24 hours until New York needs to make a decision, this will be an interesting saga to watch unfold.
Giants’ $36 Million Veteran on Roster Bubble Despite Bloated Price Tag