Giants Darius Slayton forced into special teams cameo after Gunner Olszewski injury
Of course it did not matter, because the Giants were so inept in their 28-6 loss to the Vikings on Sunday at MetLife Stadium.But it certainly was not a good look that the Giants were left so short on special teams that they embarked on the 2024 season without a proven punt returner.They went in expecting that Gunner Olszewski would handle that role but he did not make it out of pregame warm-ups.
Olszewski reaggravated a groin injury he was already dealing with since the second preseason game and was declared unavailable to play in the game.The Giants in training camp had Olszewski and Isaiah McKenzie as their returners but McKenzie was lost for the season with a foot injury.The Giants did not replace him and with Olszewski banged up, they left themselves with no strong options once he went down.Next up? Darius Slayton.
The 27-year old wide receiver regularly fields punts in practice but never — as in ever — in a game in his first five seasons with the Giants.“It’s a skill I have,’’ Slayton said.“I can do it, at the end of the day I’m about whatever I need to do to help the team win and when Gunner went down I’m the next best option on punt return so if that’s the case I’ll go back there and do it to the best of my ability.’’It did not work out too well.
In the second quarter, Ryan Wright sent a 44-yard punt that looked like trouble as soon as the ball started descending.Slayton was unsure if he should run up and catch it on the fly or let it bounce.
He did neither.He tried to pick the ball up after it bounced but it glanced off his body.
He was fortunate that in the scrum, teammate Dane Belton made the recovery.“I started to run up on it and catch it and then it kind of caught the wind a little bit and moved a little more than I thought so I was just going to catch it off one bounce,’’ Slayton said, “and I just got too close to the ball.I should have just let it go because that was my first thought.’’So much for the much-a...