On Facebook
On Flipboard
On Twitter
When one thinks of the New York Giants offense, two names that immediately come to mind include whoever is the starting quarterback (in this case, Russell Wilson) and receiver Malik Nabers.
Rightfully so, as both are among the most important members of the offense. But there is another just as important, if underrated, member of the offense who often doesn’t get the credit he deserves: receiver Darius Slayton.
Slayton, a fifth-round draft pick in 2019 and one of the team's longest-tenured members hasn’t posted flashy numbers throughout his career.
He’s never exceeded 800 receiving yards nor recorded double-digit touchdown catches, and his 28 career drops among 459 pass targets (6.1% drop rate) don’t exactly scream elite.
But Slayton has been consistent and reliable. In four of his six seasons with the Giants, he’s finished as the team leader in receiving yards.
He’s also held a respectable 86.1 career target rate and developed into a key leader in the locker room, so much so that the Giants brought him back this offseason on a three-year, $36 million deal with $22 million guaranteed.
That’s not too shabby for a receiver who was a healthy scratch in the very first game for head coach Brian Daboll, who was forced to take a pay cut in 2022, who had to compete for the WR2 spot against Jalin Hyatt, a draft pick the current regime traded up to get, and who also saw his pass targets fall to under 40 for the first time since his injury-shortened 2021 season.
Slayton, Aaron Schatz of ESPN’s choice for one of the most underrated players at every position, has prevailed through it all. He led the Giants' receivers last year in yards per reception (14.7).
And as Schatz noted in his write-up, Slayton has had a positive receiving DVOA (defense-adjusted value over average) in his last three seasons, all while doing so despite the mostly subpar quarterback play with which he’s had to work.
Want more things to appreciate about Slayton and what he’s brought to the Giants? Besides being the team’s best downfield blocker among the receivers, his contested catch rate (60%) was the best of the Giants’ wideouts, and his 13.7 average depth of target (ADOT) last year was also the best among the Giants' receivers.
All that said, Slayton, who has never been about the spotlight, will continue his role as WR2 in this offense, which is likely to again focus on Nabers and his dynamic skillset. But make no mistake: having a player of Slayton’s underrated talents and leadership makes the investment the team made in him well worth it.
JOIN US ON SOCIAL MEDIA! Follow and like us on Facebook. Don't forget to check out our YouTube channel. And if you want to send a letter to our mailbag, you can do so here.
More New York Giants Coverage
More must-reads:
- Five potential landing spots for Christian Wilkins after stunning Raiders release
- Sizzling AFC training-camp position battles
- The 'Single-season sack leaders by NFL team' quiz
Breaking News
Trending News
Customize Your Newsletter
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
TODAY'S BEST
Vikings training camp recap, Day 2: Defense continues to impress
It probably shouldn't come as a surprise that through two days of training camp, the Vikings' defense appears to be pretty far ahead of the offense. Brian Flores is now in his third season as Minnesota's defensive coordinator, and many of his key players have been in the scheme since he arrived. Others are now in their second year, and even some of the newcomers seem to have picked things up quickly over the course of this offseason. Meanwhile, the Vikings are breaking in an offense with a new starting quarterback (and a new backup), as well as some new pieces on the offensive line and elsewhere. Expected or not, my main takeaway from Thursday's practice was how impressive this defense already looks. On a beautiful 80-degree day at TCO Performance Center, Flores' group appeared to be in mid-camp form, if not ready for the regular season to begin already. That was also the case on Wednesday, when they snagged a pair of pick-sixes on the first day of camp. The lone interception on Thursday went to 14th-year safety Harrison Smith, the league's active leader in picks by a healthy margin. In a 7-on-7 period, he snagged a J.J. McCarthy pass that deflected off of Lucky Jackson's hands, then — in humorous Smith fashion — proceeded to lateral it to teammate Jay Ward shortly thereafter. So many different members of the first-team defense stood out at least once. Jonathan Allen, Javon Hargrave, and Harrison Phillips blew up run plays and got into the backfield. Jonathan Greenard roasted tackles with speed off the edge. Blake Cashman burst unblocked through a gap on a blitz for a would-be sack. Ivan Pace Jr. did the same off a stunt. Isaiah Rodgers made a great play to break up a McCarthy back-shoulder ball intended for Rondale Moore (who, at 5'7", probably won't be the recipient of many back-shoulder targets in game action). The Vikings were second in defensive DVOA last season, and I don't think there's any question that they got better — at least on paper — over the course of the offseason. That doesn't guarantee more dominance this season. But it's hard not to get excited about a defense that has a chance to be incredible up front with Allen, Hargrave, Phillips, Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, Dallas Turner, Cashman, and Pace. If the secondary reaches its potential, Flores could be cooking with all kinds of gas this season. That context is also why no one should panic if McCarthy and the offense aren't particularly sharp over the course of training camp. This defense might just be better than any they'll see over the entire regular season. Here are some other notes from Thursday's practice. Jeff Okudah is a player to watch. He's the No. 3 corner with the first-team defense right now, alongside Byron Murphy Jr. and Rodgers. The former No. 3 overall pick is on his fourth team in as many seasons, but he's only 26 years old, and if anyone is going to help him revive his career, it feels like Flores and Daronte Jones could be the coaches to do it. Okudah is physical and not afraid to come up in run support, which he did for a would-be TFL in this practice. Mekhi Blackmon has been working with the second-team defense so far. I think I'm obligated by law to comment on McCarthy's performance, even if just for a few sentences, every day throughout camp. I thought he was fine on Thursday, but maybe a bit more shaky than on Day 1. There was the INT to Smith. He also sailed a ball over Justin Jefferson's head when trying to layer an intermediate throw early in practice, which led to a discussion with Kevin O'Connell and others while watching the replay. But McCarthy also completed plenty of passes, most of them of the short variety. He's shown quite the rapport with Jordan Addison, who was his top target in this practice after Jefferson departed (more on that in a second). McCarthy's fastball is impressive, and he used it to connect with players like Addison, Jalen Nailor, and even rookie Tai Felton late in practice. His best throw of the day was an intermediate out route to Addison, who was covered tightly by Theo Jackson. Jefferson sat out most of the team drills out of precaution after experiencing some minor tightness in his legs following a leaping catch. You can read more on that here, but the key thing to emphasize is that it's nothing significant or concerning. Josh Metellus, whose full participation in Wednesday's practice was a story due to his contract situation, watched practice from the sideline on Thursday due to what the Vikings described as a minor ankle issue. It'll be interesting to see if Nos. 18 and/or 44 are out there on Friday. Some of the depth guys on the defensive line will be fun to track over the course of camp. Levi Drake Rodriguez goes 110 percent all the time and ended up in the backfield on a couple plays, including one where he wound up on the ground near Sam Howell's legs (which coaches don't like). Jalen Redmond burst through the line for a TFL at one point. On another rep, Gabriel Murphy and rookie Elijah Williams put pressure on Max Brosmer, who got a few snaps in this practice after not seeing any on Wednesday. Brosmer, by the way, attempted the longest throw of the day, but it was just out of the reach of a well-covered Dontae Fleming. More Vikings coverage
Yankees Traded Flourishing Infielder for Struggling Closer
The New York Yankees have made their 2025 goals abundantly clear: They're trying to return to the World Series and win it all. In an effort to do so, the Pinstripes traded pitcher Nestor Cortes and infielder Caleb Durbin to the Milwaukee Brewers this season, adding closer Devin Williams to the roster. Halfway into the season, it looks like that was a big mistake. The Yankees are now looking to fill gaps in the both the bullpen and the infield before the MLB trade deadline rolls around at the end of the month. Utilityman Oswaldo Cabrera was great at third base, but suffered a potentially season-ending injury in May. The Yankees tried to compensate by shifting Jazz Chisholm Jr. to third, but it was clear Chisholm excels at second, and he's since been moved back. Durbin, on the other hand, has only gotten better in Milwaukee. "Over 75 games this season, Durbin is slashing .265/.350/.382 with five homers and elite contact skills at the plate," Alexander Wilson of Empire Sports Media wrote. "He ranks in the 95th percentile in whiff rate and 98th in strikeout rate — rare company for a young infielder. Durbin’s advanced plate discipline would’ve been invaluable in a Yankees lineup that too often leans on boom-or-bust approaches." Then there's Devin Williams, who has been part of a shaky-at-best Yankees bullpen. He has certainly seen improvement since the beginning of the season, when he was pulled from closing duties after a blown save to the Yankees' division rival Toronto Blue Jays. However, it hasn't been quite enough. Toronto swept New York in a four game series earlier this month, securing their lead of the AL east over the Pinstripes. Williams pitched the final inning, giving up two earned runs. He has a 4.82 ERA over 37.1 innings pitched in 41 games. Williams keeps improving, and hopefully will prove that the Yankees made the right choice by acquiring him. However, that still doesn't fill the gaping hole New York has at third base, and they're likely missing Durbin's consistent abilities in the field and at the plate. The Yankees have until the July 31 MLB trade deadline to make any trades to address these issues. Make sure to bookmark Yankees On SI to get all your daily New York Yankees news, interviews, breakdowns and more! Cam Schlittler is Not Yankees Paul Skenes Yankees Fighting Red Sox for Diamondbacks Pitchers Yankees’ Aaron Judge Ties Alex Rodriguez on All-Time List Braves Troll Yankees' Jazz Chisholm With Walk-Up Song Yankees in Trade Talks With Pirates
Biggest impact of Josh Naylor trade may still be to come
While the Seattle Mariners landed an impact bat on Thursday night, their trade for Josh Naylor has also likely impacted the entire upcoming MLB trade deadline. On Thursday, Seattle sent a pair of top pitching prospects to the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for Naylor, with left-hander Brandyn Garcia (ranked as Seattle's 13th-best prospect by MLB.com) and right-hander Ashton Izzi (ranked as Seattle's 16th-best prospect by the same rankings) heading to the desert. Knowing what the Diamondbacks received in exchange for Naylor could well set the market for what is to come between now and the conclusion of the 2025 MLB trade deadline, set for 6 p.m. (Eastern) on July 31. The 28-year-old first baseman was ranked by The Athletic as the 17th-best trade candidate likely to be available, but ranked behind just one other first baseman (Baltimore's Ryan O'Hearn, who was slotted in at 16th). If Naylor brought in a pair of pitching prospects, including Garcia, who has appeared in two games this season for Seattle, the Diamondbacks could be salivating over what third baseman Eugenio Suarez and his 36 home runs could bring in return. All MLB teams who will be buying or selling at this year's trade deadline have had the first price bar set for them with the Naylor deal. Now it will be fascinating to see what comes next, especially knowing that Naylor will be a free agent at the end of this season. If Seattle gave up two pitching prospects for a player who could be a late-season rental only, imagine what the Minnesota Twins may be able to recoup for starting pitcher Joe Ryan (under team control through the 2027 season) or the Boston Red Sox might get back for outfielder Jarren Duran, who won't be a free agent until the 2029 campaign. While Naylor may not be the biggest move to come during this span before the trade deadline comes to a close, his deal could be the one that establishes selling prices for the trades that are to come. With so few MLB teams expected to be outright sellers, the price for available talent was expected to be high. We learned on Thursday night with the Naylor swap just how high those prices may go.
Report: Player has made it clear to Man City he wants to join Tottenham, Spurs working on move
Tottenham Hotspur are focused on signing Morgan Gibbs-White from Nottingham Forest, despite the delays. According to TBR Football, Manchester City were interested in signing the 25-year-old midfielder as well, but he has already informed them that he wishes to join Tottenham instead. Manchester City have now moved on to other targets. The development will come as a huge boost for Tottenham. It will be interesting to see if they can convince Nottingham Forest to get the deal across the line now. The midfielder was excellent for Nottingham Forest last season, scoring seven goals and picking up 10 assists in the Premier League. He could prove to be a useful acquisition for Tottenham, who need more creativity and technical ability in the final third. Tottenham need Morgan Gibbs-White Tottenham need to improve their squad if they want to do well in the league and the Champions League next season. Signing talented players like Gibbs-White will help them match up to elite clubs. The 25-year-old is capable of slotting into multiple midfield roles, and he will add goals and creativity to the side. James Maddison can be quite inconsistent at times, and Tottenham need more depth in that area of the pitch. Having another top-quality creator would be ideal. Can Spurs convince Nottingham Forest? Initially, there were rumours that Tottenham were prepared to trigger the £60 million exit clause in his contract, but Nottingham Forest are unhappy with the leak of the confidential information regarding his clause, and they are planning legal action against the north London club. It will be interesting to see if the two clubs can work out their differences and finalise the transfer. The player is keen for the move to go through, and Nottingham Forest will not want to hold onto an unhappy player.
PRIVACY POLICY EDITORIAL POLICY CONTACT US
ABOUT YARDBARKER TERMS OF SERVICE
Use of this website (including any and all parts and
components) constitutes your acceptance of these
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
This site is for entertainment purposes only.
There is no gambling offered on this site.
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.
