Two years ago, the Giants shopped wide receiver Darius Slayton and squeezed him into an embarrassing pay cut when they couldn’t find an adequate deal.
Now Slayton is returning the favor, staying away from the start of the Giants’ 2024 offseason program and seeking a contract extension as he enters the final season of his two-year contract, as ESPN first reported.
Slayton, 27, has led the Giants in receiving yards in four of his five NFL seasons.
He locked in a $2.4 million roster bonus for this season already by being on the Giants’ roster on the fifth day of this NFL year in mid-March. So he has nothing but time.
He could forfeit a $350,000 workout bonus if he doesn’t complete 84.375% of the team’s offseason workout program, but that’s small potatoes compared to the roster bonus he already locked in that is scheduled to be paid out in late July.
On Thursday, Giants GM Joe Schoen called Slayton “uber consistent” but said “we haven’t had conversations about any type of extension” and noted “I love Darius” but “we just signed the deal a little over 12 months ago. It was a two-year deal.”
It will be interesting to see how this plays out.
Slayton is due $6.2 million this season with an $8.15 million cap hit and incentives available to earn more on the Giants’ 2024 ledger.
Although he has been consistently productive in difficult conditions for the franchise that drafted him in the 2019 fifth round, it is difficult to believe Slayton would really expect Schoen to give him a raise, considering how the GM has judged his value previously — even with Schoen extending him following the playoff season of 2022.
Schoen even made a lighthearted crack at the NFL Owners meetings in March when he said he likes “the three young guys” he has at receiver, and then clarified with a laugh: “Well, Slayton’s not young anymore. I actually had that conversation with him.”
It’s possible Slayton could be simply reading the room with the Giants poised to draft at least one receiver next week, potentially with their first-round pick at No. 6 overall.
Schoen said Thursday that this is a “deep receiver draft” and noted that there is “some added value” with “guys that can also do returns” given “the new kickoff rules.”
Undersized Oregon State receiver Anthony Gould, a first-team All-Pac-12 return specialist in 2022, is one example of a late-rounder who could provide an NFL team that type of flex.
If Schoen fills the depth chart with enough of his own guys, that may limit Slayton’s targets or make him expendable in the front office’s eyes. So Slayton may just be getting a head start on greasing the skids for a potential trade out of town.
Slayton has been nothing but loyal to the Giants through thick and thin. But going to a better offense would position Slayton better to cash in again when he hits free agency a year from now.
Some of Schoen’s negotiations have led to messy breakups or bad feelings in multiple situations during his tenure, including the departures of corner James Bradberry and running back Saquon Barkley, both to the rival Philadelphia Eagles.
Dexter Lawrence, on the other hand, stayed away from the 2023 spring program initially but landed a monster contract extension.
At the same time, he is a cornerstone player, second-team All-Pro and Pro Bowler. That’s much different than Slayton’s standing on the team, as much as he is well-liked and appreciated.
Now, a month after Barkley’s saga resulted in his signing with the Eagles, a less-heralded skill player is standing his ground to start the spring in defense of his own value.
Time will tell what it means for Slayton’s future with the team.
