Cue the ultimate line in Casablanca: “I feel that is the start of an exquisite friendship.”
Darius Slayton didn’t say it, and he may not have ever heard of it, however there may be actually an opportunity the sentiment matches, when contemplating what Slayton does properly and what Russell Wilson has been recognized to do exceedingly properly on the NFL degree for the previous 13 years.
Slayton likes to go lengthy.
Wilson is adept at throwing lengthy.
This might be one thing for the Giants to really feel enthusiastic about.
“I really like going deep,’’ Slayton mentioned after a hotter-than-usual organized staff exercise apply. “That’s type of how I made my title, so to talk, within the league was making performs down the sphere, nevertheless it’s not simply myself. All of us can run. Malik [Nabers] can run, Jalin [Hyatt] can run. Even Wan’Dale [Robinson], his mini legs be transferring, so he can run too.
“And it’s proven over OTAs, it’s proven, I feel everyone’s in all probability touched the ball down the sphere from us in some unspecified time in the future. So, I feel it’ll assist everyone be capable to stretch the sphere and add some yards per catch.’’
If that occurs, Wilson will likely be greater than definitely worth the one-year, $10.5 million funding the Giants made in him.
And Slayton will likely be much more happy that he determined to stay round.
Close to the tip of a dismal 3-14 season, Slayton appeared weary standing at his locker, having to clarify yet one more feeble offensive displaying after one other desultory loss.
It was sporting on him, the cumulative impact of spending six years with the Giants, wading by 5 shedding seasons, just one playoff berth and much an excessive amount of issue scoring and transferring the ball.
“It’s exhausting,’’ he mentioned, sounding disgusted and able to transfer on.
At that time, it felt extra doubtless co-owner John Mara would rent as the brand new staff pilot the person who final season flew a small aircraft toting the offended message over MetLife Stadium than it was Slayton can be the place he’s these days.
He resisted what would have been a superbly comprehensible urge to signal elsewhere, and the Giants, considerably surprisingly, didn’t push for a shake-up by trying outdoors the group for assist at huge receiver.
That Slayton secured a three-year contract for $36 million — $22 million assured — was one of many really shocking offseason developments.
Much more shocking, contemplating that when the Joe Schoen-Brian Daboll regime arrived in 2022, Slayton needed to take a pay minimize to remain on the roster and needed to combat laborious to notch a job for himself throughout the offense.
“He’s a professional, initially,’’ Daboll mentioned. “He by no means let any circumstance get in his method of him persevering with to attempt to enhance and do his job. And when he’s had alternatives, he’s made performs for us. He has good management traits, and he’s been right here a very long time in NFL years. He’s good with the younger guys. The quarterbacks [have] obtained quite a lot of belief in him. I actually do, however I simply respect his self-discipline and the way he goes about his job, his angle — whether or not issues have been good, whether or not issues have been dangerous — his work ethic, that’s why we introduced him again.’’
Slayton was quick associates and an overt supporter of Daniel Jones — Slayton, Jones and Dexter Lawrence have been the longest-tenured Giants, all arriving within the 2019 draft class — however time strikes on.
“Clearly, I got here again. I used to be assured within the route that we have been going to go in, and clearly as soon as we make the acquisitions, clearly lots of people largely give attention to the quarterback place,’’ Slayton mentioned. “As soon as we purchase the blokes we’ve now that clearly simply raised the arrogance degree of, all proper, we’ve an opportunity to be a extremely, actually good offense.’’
Slayton’s manufacturing took a dip final season, as his 39 receptions have been the second fewest of his six-year profession.
That meager manufacturing got here regardless of 71 targets, a obvious reminder that the quarterback play, distributed amongst 4 of them — Jones, Tommy DeVito, Drew Lock and Tim Boyle — was largely atrocious.
Slayton, although, nonetheless averaged 14.7 yards per catch, commensurate together with his profession common of 15 yards per catch.
The Giants, with 34 completions of 20 or extra yards in 2024, matched the Patriots for the fewest profitable deep balls within the league.
Enter Wilson.
Regardless of an uneven one season with the Steelers, Wilson stays the most effective within the enterprise in pushing the ball down the sphere.
He was tops final 12 months within the NFL in deep-ball effectivity, finishing 54 %.
This spring, the lengthy, high-arching moonball Wilson is famend for has crammed the air throughout practices.
“It’s been superior,’’ Slayton mentioned. “His data of the sport has proven already. Clearly, he has wonderful expertise with the ball. Accuracy, nice contact on the deep balls. I don’t actually know that he’s missed a couple of or two deep balls this entire camp. He’s actually correct, actually sensible. He’s helped preserve us in good performs all through the entire camp. So, his influence has been felt for certain.’’
