New York Giants Set to Unleash "Ferraris" Against Opponents
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New York Giants receiver Darius Slayton is smiling a lot these days, and not just because he earned a new two-year deal that will allow him to continue contributing to what the Giants are building in East Rutherford.
Slayton, the team leader in receiving yards (724) last season, is smiling at the thought of all those fast cats--tight end Darren Waller and receivers Parris Campbell, Jeff Smith, and Jalin Hyatt--that general manager Joe Schoen added to the roster in the off-season and the headaches they can potentially create for opponents.
“I like watching people flying around fast," Slayton said Wednesday. "We've got a lot of them now. Parris (Campbell) was a 4.30 guy. Jeff Smith was a 4.2-low 4.3 guy. And Hyatt obviously could fly. I could fly. You turn on the film, it's a whole lot of flying. I mean, it's fun to watch, fun to play with guys like that.”
It also should be fun to watch, especially considering how the Giants ranked at the bottom of the league in terms of explosive plays of 20+ yards (28).
This year, the coaches are looking to open things up more by stretching the field with the new collection of speedsters added to the roster. Already in the spring, they have had the quarterbacks throwing more deep passes than they did this time last year, and the results thus far have been very encouraging, even though they've come against no pass rush and no bump-and-run coverage.
Slayon has been particularly impressed with quarterback Daniel Jones and his handling of the expanded offense. As one of a handful of skill position players who has been with Jones since the beginning of his career, Slayton is anxious to see where things go with the offense this year.
“I think he's doing great," he said of his friend and teammate. "I think walking away from last season, explosives were the thing we needed more of. I think it's been a conscious effort this spring to push the ball down the field. We have all these guys, like having a bunch of Ferraris, keep them in the garage; take them out to the track. I think that's been the mindset and maybe why you see a little more of the ball going down the field.”
Waller isn’t a wide receiver, but he may as well be considered the Giants No. 1 receiver. Standing 6-foot-7 and having posted a 4.46 40-yard time, it’s hard to picture just how dangerous of a weapon Waller can be in this offense.
“I try to stand away from him. You get a picture too close; it's 'Slay is small.' So don't get too close," Slayton said, laughing.
"But he's impressive. When somebody asks what's an NFL tight end, you point to Darren Waller; big, fast, can catch it. He's been a great addition to our team.”
And Hyatt?
“He's fast. He can play. You can see the talent," Slayton said. "Not just his speed. He has a viral video of him telling the coach he can route run and stuff. I think he does route run well. He catches the ball well. I think just all the way around, he's a very talented player.”
Speed has been a hot topic this offseason for the Giants, but there’s much more to be excited about regarding skill sets in this offense. Isaiah Hodgins, who came on late in the year as one of the Giants’ top targets, provides height that mostly lacks in the receiver room.
Once running back Saquon Barkley comes back, his presence alone gives defenses something to worry about. There’s diversity among the Giants’ offensive skill players this year, which should make for a potentially exciting season.
“I think guys like Collin (Johnson) and Isaiah (Hodgins) add a good changeup, bigger guys, big, strong guys that can beat you up," Slayton said. "It's not like we just have a bunch of speed guys. We've got big guys, and obviously, Darren is an "everything"--big and fast. A guy like him helps. And all of our backs -- but whenever we get Saquon back and (Matt) Breida and those guys, they help in mismatches.”
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