EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Darius Slayton is only 26 years old, but he's a go-to guy in the Giants locker room for younger players seeking advice on football and off-the-field matters.
A smart choice by the youngsters.
Slayton is one of just six players on the current roster entering at least his fifth season with the team. Sterling Shepard and Saquon Barkley arrived in 2016 and 2018, respectively, and Daniel Jones was in the 2019 draft class with Dexter Lawrence. Leonard Williams arrived in a 2019 midseason trade.
Slayton fields numerous questions on everything to running routes to restaurants.
"Yeah, from where to live and to where to eat, and how to do these – what are they called? The little side turns," Slayton said as the Giants returned to work after a three-day break. "All that type of stuff but on the football field as well. I do my best to help the young guys in any way I can. I just try to help them; our system is very wordy. Just helping them in anyway (and) try to give them tips and pointers because we were in the same boat last years when Dabs (coach Brian Daboll) first got here. Even though we were veteran players, you're learning a whole new system. So, I just do my best to help them any way, shape or form I can, and we have a lot of young smart guys, so they're easy students to help."
Slayton demonstrated his devotion to the team during a difficult period early last season. He took a pay cut just prior to the season and then was a healthy inactive for the season opener in Tennessee. Slayton was not targeted the following week vs. Carolina and had one catch in Week 3 vs. Dallas.
"It was definitely a stroke of adversity," Slayton said. "It's definitely something that I had to deal with, something I had to overcome, but ultimately, it's not somewhere that I hadn't been prior to that and I'm sure, hopefully not again in football, but maybe in some other avenue of life I'll be in a similar predicament. I'm just happy I'm on the other side of it now, and it'll be a good life experience going forward."
But Slayton kept grinding and started 11 games – plus two in the postseason – and led the Giants with 724 receiving yards and was third on the team with 46 receptions, including two touchdowns. It was the third time in his first four seasons he led the team in receiving yards, a Giants feat matched only by Odell Beckham, Jr. In the playoffs, Slayton added five receptions for 92 yards (18.4-yard avg.), including a team-long 47-yarder.
"You talk about another good teammate," coach Brian Daboll said. "We've talked about the start that he had last year. I'd say his ability to really just be laser focused on his job and improving every day really helped us throughout the season. Got him back and he's been a very good teammate. I think he has improved in a number of areas, understands the system better, has some good leadership traits about him, particularly with some of those younger receivers and happy to have him."
"I think I'm in a positive place, and I think I've put together a strong camp," Slayton said. "I worked really hard this offseason to better myself in any way or shape and form I can, and I plan to try to display that to the best of my ability this season."
View photos of the New York Giants' 2023 roster as it currently stands.
CB Deonte Banks
RB Saquon Barkley
OLB Boogie Basham
TE Daniel Bellinger
S Dane Belton
G Ben Bredeson
RB Matt Breida
RB Gary Brightwell
ILB Cam Brown
TE Lawrence Cager
WR Parris Campbell
ILB Carter Coughlin
DL D.J. Davidson
OL Joshua Ezeudu
CB Cor'Dale Flott
K Graham Gano
P Jamie Gillan
G Mark Glowinski
RB Eric Gray
CB Tre Hawkins III
WR Isaiah Hodgins
CB Darnay Holmes
WR Jalin Hyatt
CB Adoree' Jackson
QB Daniel Jones
LS Casey Kreiter
DL Dexter Lawrence
G Shane Lemieux
S Bobby McCain
CB Nick McCloud
ILB Micah McFadden
OL Marcus McKethan
S Xavier McKinney
OT Evan Neal
DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches
OLB Azeez Ojulari
LB Bobby Okereke
S Gervarrius Owens
OT Matt Peart
S Jason Pinnock
DL Jordon Riley
DT A'Shawn Robinson
WR Wan'Dale Robinson
C John Michael Schmitz Jr.
WR Sterling Shepard
S/ILB Isaiah Simmons
WR Darius Slayton
QB Tyrod Taylor
OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux
OT Andrew Thomas
TE Darren Waller
OLB Jihad Ward
DL Leonard Williams
No other Giants player is as well-versed in the preferences and displeasures of Jones. The two players joined the team four years ago, Jones as a first-round draft choice and Slayton as a fifth-round selection. They have developed a close partnership on and off the field.
Jones has completed passes to 44 different receivers in the regular season, a figure that will almost certainly increase Sunday night when the Giants open their season against the Dallas Cowboys in MetLife Stadium. Slayton's 150 catches, 2,198 yards and 11 touchdowns top all those targets (Shepard is second with 140, 1,409 and eight).
Slayton can tell the pass-catchers who haven't had as much time with Jones what the quarterback likes to do on a certain route, or what he looks for when a particular play is called.
"There's definitely a quarterback friendly way to play receiver and also being yourself," Slayton said. "There's timing to things, there's ways you can win certain things that are comfortable. If there's anything that in the past we've done that I know that he likes or makes him feel really good about it, I definitely try to impart that acknowledge to them."
When he's on the field, Slayton is continually juggling numerous thoughts, including the play call, the opposing defense, his individual matchup – and what he can do to help Jones and the offense on any particular play.
"Sometimes, it's just trying to be on the same page," Slayton said. "There's sometimes we have routes that change based on certain looks and obviously in this league, quarterbacks got to know the whole defense and all that. But if I was a receiver already and if I'm looking at the look as well and I know what he might want to get to, it just helps make decisions quicker, helps us both be on the same page. If we can both get up there and recognize the same defense and know what needs to be done, then that's just another step ahead and click faster that we can play.
"I would say the vast majority of the time we're on the same page. Obviously, we're both human. You know, there's going to be times where there's indecisiveness on both parts; but majority of the time we're on the same page."
Slayton said the two players are so familiar with each other they often communicate non-verbally.
"There are definitely times where I feel like I talked to him in my head where I'm like, 'DJ, look, look, look, look, the safety is going over here' or something," Slayton said. "Whatever it is, he's a smart guy, really aware guy. So, he's typically on top of it."
And as those 150 receptions and 2,198 yards attest, the relationship has benefitted both players.
"It's been a pretty good thing," Slayton said. "He throws the ball my way. So hopefully, it keeps coming."
View photos of every move made by the Giants during the 2023 cycle.
OLB Oshane Ximines - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (September 21)
OL Jaylon Thomas - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (September 21)
RB Taiwan Jones - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (September 16)
OLB Oshane Ximines - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (September 16)
RB Taiwan Jones - Activated, from Practice Squad (Standard Elevation) (September 9)
K Graham Gano - Signed 3-year contract extension (September 8)
WR Cam Sims - Practice Squad Veteran Signing (September 4)
WR Cole Beasley - Practice Squad; Injured (September 4)
G Jack Anderson - Waived, Injury Settlement
DB Kaleb Hayes, WR Dennis Houston, T Jaylon Thomas - Practice Squad Signing (August 31)
RB Taiwan Jones - Practice Squad Veteran Signing (August 31)
TE Tyree Jackson, G Jalen Mayfield - Practice Squad Exception Signing (August 31)
DB Gemon Green, T Tyre Phillips - Terminated (by Club) from Practice Squad (August 31)
CB Zyon Gilbert - Waived, Injury Settlement
DT Ryder Anderson, ILB Darrian Beavers, DB Alex Cook, QB Tommy DeVito, CB Gemon Green, ILB Dyontae Johnson, TE Ryan Jones - Practice Squad (August 30)
WR Cole Beasley, CB Amani Oruwariye, T Tyre Phillips, OLB Oshane Ximines - Practice Squad Veteran (August 30)
OLB Tomon Fox - Practice Squad Exception (August 30)
DE Boogie Basham - Acquired via Trade (via BUF) with 2025 7th Round Pick for 2025 6th Round Pick (August 30)
DT Ryder Anderson - Waived, No Recall (August 29)
DE Habakkuk Baldonado - Waived, No Recall (August 29)
LB Darrian Beavers - Waived, No Recall (August 29)
DB Alex Cook - Waived, No Recall (August 29)
RB Jashaun Corbin - Waived, No Recall (August 29)
QB Tommy DeVito - Waived, No Recall (August 29)
LB Tomon Fox - Waived, No Recall (August 29)
DB Gemon Green - Waived, No Recall (August 29)
LB Dyontae Johnson - Waived, No Recall (August 29)
TE Ryan Jones - Waived, No Recall (August 29)
LS Cameron Lyons - Waived, No Recall (August 29)
T Tyre Phillips - Waived, No Recall (August 29)
WR Kalil Pimpleton - Waived, No Recall (August 29)
DT Kobe Smith - Waived, No Recall (August 29)
LB Ray Wilborn - Waived, No Recall (August 29)
WR Cole Beasley - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (August 29)
WR Jamison Crowder - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (August 29)
C Sean Harlow - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (August 29)
DB Amani Oruwariye - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (August 29)
WR David Sills V - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (August 29)
LB Oshane Ximines - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (August 29)
TE Tommy Sweeney - Reserve/Non-Football Illness (August 29)
WR Wan'Dale Robinson - Passed Physical (August 29)
CB Aaron Robinson - Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform (August 29)
TE Chris Myarick - Reserve/Injured (August 28)
DB Zyon Gilbert - Waived, Injured (August 28)
G Jack Anderson - Waived, Injured (August 28)
G Wyatt Davis - Waived, Injured (August 28)
WR Bryce Ford-Wheaton - Reserve/Injured (August 27)
WR Jaydon Mickens - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (August 27)
OT Korey Cunningham - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (August 27)
OT Julién Davenport - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (August 27)
DT Brandin Bryant - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (August 27)
DE Tashawn Bower - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (August 27)
DT Kevin Atkins - Waived, No Recall (August 27)
WR Collin Johnson - Waived, No Recall (August 27)
DB Darren Evans - Waived, No Recall (August 27)
NT Donovan Jeter - Waived, No Recall (August 27)
RB James Robinson - Waived, No Recall (August 27)
S/ILB Isaiah Simmons - Acquired via Trade (via ARZ) for 2024 7th Round Pick (August 25)
OT Devery Hamilton - Waived, Injury Settlement (August 24)
LB Troy Brown - Waived, Injury Settlement
CB Rodarius Williams - Waived, No Recall (August 19)
OT Julién Davenport - Free Agent Signing (August 16)
LB Troy Brown - Waived, Injured (August 16)
LB Ray Wilborn - Claimed off Waivers from DEN (August 15)
OT Devery Hamilton - Waived/Injured (August 15)
DL D.J. Davidson - Passed Physical (August 14)
WR Jeff Smith - Terminated, Vested Veteran, Injury Settlement (August 11)
DT A'Shawn Robinson - Passed Physical (August 7)
OL Marcus McKethan - Passed Physical (August 7)
NT Donovan Jeter - Free Agent Signing (August 4)
WR Jeff Smith - Waived/Injured (August 4)
C Sean Harlow - Free Agent Signing (August 1)
OL J.C. Hassenauer - Reserve/Injured (August 1)
WR Sterling Shepard - Passed Physical (July 30)
WR Jamison Crowder - Passed Physical (July 30)
DT Vernon Butler - Reserve/Injured (July 29)
LB Elerson Smith - Waived, Injury Settlement (July 29)
DT Kevin Atkins - Free Agent Signing (July 27)
T Andrew Thomas - Signed, Renegotiated Contract (July 26)
DT D.J. Davidson - Declared Physically Unable to Perform (July 25)
G Marcus McKethan - Declared Physically Unable to Perform (July 25)
CB Aaron Robinson - Declared Physically Unable to Perform (July 25)
DT A'Shawn Robinson - Declared Physically Unable to Perform (July 25)
WR Wan'Dale Robinson - Declared Physically Unable to Perform (July 25)
WR Sterling Shepard - Declared Physically Unable to Perform (July 25)
WR Jamison Crowder - Declared Non-Football Injury (July 25)
DT Vernon Butler - Reserve/Did Not Report (July 25)
RB Saquon Barkley - Franchise Player Signing (July 25)
OLB Tashawn Bower - Free Agent Signing (July 25)
OLB Elerson Smith - Waived, Injured (July 25)
DB Trenton Thompson - Waived, No Recall (July 25)
DT Brandin Bryant - Free Agent Signing (July 24)
WR Makai Polk - Waived, No Recall (July 24)
WR Dre Miller - Waived, No Recall (July 24)
RB James Robinson - Free Agent Signing (July 21)
WR Cole Beasley - Free Agent Signing (July 21)
DB Darren Evans - Free Agent Signing (July 18)
LB Jarrad Davis - Reserve/Injured (July 18)
DB Leonard Johnson - Waived/Injured (July 18)
DL Kobe Smith - Free Agent Signing (June 15)
DL Dexter Lawrence - Signed, Renegotiated Contract (May 5)
OLB Oshane Ximines - Free Agent Signing (May 5)
OLB Habakkuk Baldonado - Free Agent Signing (May 5)
LB Troy Brown - Free Agent Signing (May 5)
DB Alex Cook - Free Agent Signing (May 5)
QB Tommy DeVito - Free Agent Signing (May 5)
WR Bryce Ford-Wheaton - Free Agent Signing (May 5)
DB Gemon Green - Free Agent Signing (May 5)
LB Dyontae Johnson - Free Agent Signing (May 5)
TE Ryan Jones - Free Agent Signing (May 5)
LS Cameron Lyons - Free Agent Signing (May 5)
CB Deonte Banks - Selected in Round 1 (Pick No. 24) of 2023 NFL Draft
CB Deonte Banks - Selection List Signing (May 18)
OL John Michael Schmitz - Selected in Round 2 (Pick No. 57) of 2023 NFL Draft
C John Michael Schmitz - Selection List Signing (May 23)
WR Jalin Hyatt - Selected in Round 3 (Pick No. 73) of 2023 NFL Draft
WR Jalin Hyatt - Selection List Signing (May 15)
RB Eric Gray - Selection List Signing (May 5)
CB Tre Hawkins III - Selected in Round 6 (Pick No. 209) of 2023 NFL Draft
CB Tre Hawkins III - Selection List Signing (May 5)
DL Jordon Riley - Selected in Round 7 (Pick No. 243) of 2023 NFL Draft
RB Eric Gray - Selected in Round 5 (Pick No. 172) of 2023 NFL Draft
DL Jordan Riley - Selection List Signing (May 6)
DB Gervarrius Owens - Selected in Round 7 (Pick No. 254) of 2023 NFL Draft
DB Gervarrius Owens - Selection List Signing (May 5)
DT A'Shawn Robinson - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (April 24)
C J.C. Hassenauer - Free Agent Signing (April 7)
OLB Jihad Ward - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 29)
TE Tommy Sweeney - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 23)
CB Amani Oruwariye - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 23)
WR Jamison Crowder - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing (March 23)
S Bobby McCain - Free Agent Signing (March 23)
WR Darius Slayton - Free Agent Signing (March 20)
DT Rakeem Nunez-Roches - Free Agent Signing (March 17)
WR Parris Campbell - Free Agent Signing (March 17)
WR Jeff Smith - Free Agent Signing (March 17)
LB Bobby Okereke - Free Agent Signing (March 16)
WR Sterling Shepard - Free Agent Signing (March 15)
TE Darren Waller - Acquired via trade with Las Vegas Raiders (March 15)
RB Matt Breida - Signed, Renegotiated Contract (March 14)
P Jamie Gillan - Signed, Renegotiated Contract (March 13)
LS Casey Kreiter - Signed, Renegotiated Contract (March 13)
G Wyatt Davis - Signed, Renegotiated Contract (March 13)
QB Daniel Jones - Signed, Renegotiated Contract (March 7)
RB Saquon Barkley - Designated Franchise Player (March 7)
LB Jarrad Davis - Signed, Renegotiated Contract (March 7)
WR Isaiah Hodgins - Signed, Exclusive Rights (February 16)
G Jack Anderson - Signed, Exclusive Rights (February 14)
TE Lawrence Cager - Signed, Exclusive Rights (February 13)
WR David Sills V - Reserve/Future Signing (January 26)
DB Terrell Burgess - Reserve/Future Signing (January 26)
TE Chris Myarick - Reserve/Future Signing (January 23)
T Devery Hamilton - Reserve/Future Signing (January 22)
WR Dre Miller - Reserve/Future Signing (January 22)
DB Zyon Gilbert - Reserve/Future Signing (January 22)
DT Vernon Butler - Reserve/Future Signing (January 22)
WR Makai Polk - Reserve/Future Signing (January 22)
T Korey Cunningham - Reserve/Future Signing (January 22)
WR Jaydon Mickens - Reserve/Future Signing (January 22)
WR Kalil Pimpleton - Reserve/Future Signing (January 22)
RB Jashaun Corbin - Reserve/Future Signing (January 22)
DB Trenton Thompson - Reserve/Future Signing (January 22)
DB Terrell Burgess - Waived/Injured (May 5)
G Solomon Kindley - Waived
WR Kenny Golladay - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts (March 15)
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