Darius Slayton has unfinished business for the Giants: ‘Be on top.’

NFL

as if Ryan Dunleavy

March 20, 2023 | 9:40 p.m

Darius Slayton has had no taste for the business side of the NFL since his debut in free agency.

The unfinished business left on the field for the upstart Giants is even more appealing to him.

“It was crazy to let go of all these bricks after we’ve built them somewhat,” Slayton said Monday after re-signing to a two-year, $12 million contract. “Then as soon as we built the thing, just to jump off the top.

“I definitely wanted to stick around and be at the top and see myself.”

The Giants went 14-35 in Slayton’s first three seasons before jumping to 9-7-1, including a playoff victory, last season.

He led the team in receiving yards in three of his four seasons and maintaining his relationship with Daniel Jones became a priority for both negotiating parties.

“I was happier with his deal than my own,” Slayton said. “Being here for everything he needed to get here, and seeing how people felt about him before and how they feel about him now.

“Anyone who follows me on Twitter knows that defaming Daniel Jones is not acceptable on my timeline. It will be until the day I die.”

The 26-year-old Slayton said that “several teams were interested,” the Giants said, “very early on,” and “we’ve been in negotiations for a while.”

The Georgia native, whose parents live in Atlanta, met with the Falcons, where he could play alongside his best friend Micah Abernathy, but downplayed reports that he took less than the Giants’ offer to return.

“It’s an interesting deal to see how the league gives you, how your team performs and how those compare to each other,” Slayton said. “I learned that I don’t care about the business side. I like to get up, run routes and catch the ball. That’s what I’m busy doing. I let my agent do what he does.

Allen Lazard (Jets) and Jacoby Meyers (Raiders) signed for $11 million a year at the top of the free agent receiver market.

“It’s been an amazing free agency year. Teams weren’t just throwing money around like other years,” Slayton said. “I felt like this was the best place to go. I’m obviously comfortable here. I like the people here. It was easy to come back.”

It would also be easy for others to step into Slayton’s shoes.

Just eight months ago, Slayton was forced to take a pay cut from $2.54 million to a league-low $965,000 to avoid being released before the season.

Why didn’t he hold a grudge?

“I generally try not to bring emotion to non-emotional things in my life,” Slayton said. “Football is not emotional. You either go out there and make a play – and the people making the decisions make the plays – or you don’t. I tend to point at the thumb rather than the finger and see what I can do better.

“Sometimes you do everything you have to do in life and you get frustrated, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t contribute to my situation to some extent last year. I have to take responsibility for this and do better.

Slayton was a healthy scratch 1 week after the injury and spot-suffering training camp.

The former fifth-round draft pick is coming off a third straight season with at least 46 catches and 724 yards receiving over the next 16 games, and now he’s in a new offense featuring tight end Darren Waller, slot receiver Paris Campbell and others. Speed ​​to meet his own wheels.

“We have a lot of guys who can fly, a lot of guys who can play,” Slayton said. “This is just to help our team and make the competition here better.”