The Pittsburgh Steelers will be adding to their WR room at least once, and possibly twice this offseason as they look to correct one of their biggest mistakes of the 2024 season. With George Pickens entering the final year of his rookie deal, the Steelers may be grappling with his departure following the 2025 season. If that’s the case, they probably need to both sign a free agent wide receiver and draft one in April. We have all heard the big names on the trade market like Cooper Kupp and Davante Adams, but another solid option as a free agent could be New York Giants WR Darius Slayton.
Giants beat reporter Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News believes the Steelers could be among the potential suitors for Slayton in free agency next week.
“I’m told teams like the Chargers, Panthers and Steelers are among the likely suitors for the consistent Giants receiver,” Leonard wrote on X.
Slayton sat down with Leonard on his Talkin’ Ball With Pat Leonard podcast and laid out some of what motivates him when signing his next deal.
“I have learned over my career that I do want to go off and I do want to get paid. But it weighs on me so heavy just losing. Every. Single. Week. I can’t take [it],” Slayton said. “Like, there’s no money that’s gonna make me just go home and be like — I’m obviously gonna be a little more happy in my Hellcat than in a Camry — but like my spirit, the core of me cannot take that.”
In six seasons with the Giants, Slayton has a record of 32-67-1 in the regular season. Despite the Steelers’ playoff futility, they have a 58-41-1 record in the regular season during that span. While some may think the Steelers don’t fit Slayton’s criteria of wanting to win, I would argue Pittsburgh looks pretty attractive to a player like Slayton after six years with the Giants.
Slayton has 259 receptions for 3,897 yards and 21 TDs in six seasons with the Giants. Last year, with a miserable QB situation in New York, Slayton caught 39 passes for 573 yards and two TDs. One of his best games of the season came against the Steelers in Week 8. Against Pittsburgh, he caught four passes for 108 yards.
It would make plenty of sense to bring in a veteran like Slayton and then turn to the draft over the first two days to continue to add to the room. His most recent contract was two years, $12 million with the Giants.
