3 Players Giants Must Cut in 2024 NFL Offseason

The New York Giants are headed for an offseason full of turnover.

The franchise went from playoff team to in contention for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft.

Last season’s playoff trip seems like more of a fluke than anything right now, and in order to get back to the postseason, the team has to overhaul its roster.

The problems started at quarterback with Daniel Jones, who will be out until the start of the 2024 campaign with the torn ACL he suffered two weeks ago.

New York is going to limp to the finish line with whomever it throws out at quarterback, which means the top offensive skill position players may have trouble improving their stock within the organization prior to the offseason.

The Giants made a mistake by signing Jones to a four-year, $160 million contract this offseason.

The 2019 first-round pick only played in six games this season. He recorded 909 passing yards, two touchdowns and six interceptions.

Jones did not live up to his massive deal in any capacity and that should leave the Giants questioning their quarterback situation going into 2024.

The Giants will have an opportunity to draft Caleb Williams or Drake Maye in the 2024 NFL draft if they continue to lose. New York currently holds the No. 2 overall pick.

The continued losing in the second half of the season should put the Giants in contention for the No. 1 overall pick, and if that happens, a hard conversation needs to be had in the organization about the future of the quarterback position.

Darius Slayton’s overall production does not match his contract.

Slayton recorded close to 1,500 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns in his first two seasons, but he followed that up with 339 yards in 2021.

He is in line for a second season in three years with under 700 receiving yards. He has 337 yards right now, but there is no guarantee that number increases a ton with lackluster quarterback play.

The Giants are set to lose Parris Campbell and Sterling Shepard in free agency. They could do a hard reset at wide receiver by cutting Slayton and the $2.5 million he is scheduled to earn next season.

If the Giants commit to Jones, they need as much money as possible to commit to the players around him.

Darren Waller, Jalin Hyatt, Wan’Dale Robinson and Isaiah Hodgins form a nice foundation of pass-catchers, but the Giants need more explosive players at the position.

The addition of a young running back and a top wide receiver through the draft could increase the team’s chances of bouncing back in 2024, even if Jones returns.

Evan Neal’s failure to evolve into a consistent offensive lineman has been one of the many failures that plagued the Giants this season.

Neal struggled in many games and it may be time for the franchise to cut its losses with the 2022 first-round pick out of Alabama.

Neal is scheduled to make under $1 million in the next two seasons, per Spotrac, so he would be a cheap player to cut.

The counter argument to that is the Giants can keep the young offensive lineman on the roster and hope that he improves while not paying him much.

The offseason message should be clear regardless of who is cut or not. The Giants must be better in 2024 to avoid another massive failure that 2023 turned into.