NFL Team Cuts Player in the Middle of $36 Million contract

The New York Giants have made another roster move ahead of the 2026-27 NFL season. The team has released wide receiver Darius Slayton.

The team announced the news on Monday, Sept. 7, while preparing for a Week 1 game against the rival Dallas Cowboys.

This release came in the midst of a three-year, $36 million contract that Slayton signed in March 2025. He was set to be under contract through the end of the 2027 season, but his time will end early.

Slayton had been the longest-tenured member of the Giants before his release. He started his career with the team back in 2019 after being a fifth-round pick in the NFL Draft, and he spent seven years on the roster.

Slayton appeared in 106 games while catching 296 passes for 4,435 yards and 22 touchdowns. He never posted more than 770 yards in a season, but he averaged 15.0 yards per reception throughout his career.

Now that the Giants have released Slayton, the team will move forward into the 2026-27 NFL season.

This team will feature a new-look receiving corps. led by Malik Nabers. Though Nabers remains vague on whether he will play in Week 1 as he recovers from a torn ACL.

The Giants will also have rookie Malachi Fields, veteran Odell Beckham Jr., and veteran Darnell Mooney.

How this offense performs remains unknown, but Sunday Night Football’s battle between the Giants and the Cowboys will provide some important information. It will be the first true look at the Giants.

The Polymarket traders currently view the Giants as the underdogs in this Week 1 battle. They list the Cowboys as the favorites to win at 61%. The Giants sit at 40% as of Sept. 8.

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