Careers can get flattened into labels quickly. A player rises from pleasant surprise to steady contributor, then slips into disappointment and, in the harshest corners of public opinion, is written off entirely by those who prefer neat verdicts over context.
Darius Slayton was never a star wide receiver for the Giants. Still, for a fifth-round draft pick who navigated more than his share of unsettled quarterback situations, spending seven seasons with the franchise and finishing with 296 receptions and 22 touchdowns is a respectable run. His production deserves some perspective, too: Slayton’s career average of 15.0 yards per catch sits above franchise receptions leader Amani Toomer (14.2), Odell Beckham Jr. (14.0) and Hakeem Nicks (14.7), and is nearly even with Plaxico Burress (15.1).
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That does not mean Slayton belongs ahead of those former Giants receivers in the franchise hierarchy. It does mean his tenure should not be dismissed as meaningless. His time with Big Blue came to an end Monday when the Giants released him, a tough conclusion after a difficult summer.
The biggest issue was easy to identify. Slayton underwent double hernia surgery during the offseason, and the recovery appeared to leave him well short of his normal physical level. He did not move with the same ease and explosiveness he had shown before the injury, a costly development as he tried to make an impression on the new coaching staff.