Three teams have reached out to Darius Slayton, according to NBC Sports’ ProFootballTalk. The Giants released the wide receiver Monday, making him a free agent.
The report names no teams. That doesn’t matter. The number is the story: Slayton got cut, and three franchises are already on the phone. In the NFL, that’s a signal. A player who is truly being cast off doesn’t draw that kind of quick interest. A player who still has value does.
The Giants’ decision is about their receiver room. The surge of calls is about Slayton’s ability. Those are two different stories, and free agency just made Slayton the author of the next chapter.
ESPN noted that Slayton had been the Giants’ longest-tenured player. That makes the release more than a routine move. It closes a long chapter. But the outside interest tells you the book isn’t over.
Being released on a Monday stings. Being released with three suitors already reaching out is a market. Slayton can choose a team that wants him, not one that merely had him on the roster. That’s the silver lining.
Three teams have already made contact. The next step is one of them making it official. For Slayton, that’s not a bad place to be on a day that starts with a cut.