There’s been a lot of speculation this offseason that former Tennessee Vols wide receiver Jalin Hyatt’s time with the New York Giants could be ending before the start of the 2026 NFL season.

Hyatt, a third round selection by the Giants in the 2023 NFL Draft, had a promising rookie season, catching 23 passes for 373 yards while playing in one of the worst offenses in the NFL (the Giants had the No. 30 scoring offense in the league in 2023).

The former Vol, however, has been a forgotten man in New York the last two seasons, catching just 13 passes for 97 yards since the start of the 2024 season.

As a result, the feeling has been that the Giants will release Hyatt at some point this summer.

But thanks to a low cap hit, that may not end up being the case.

Cutting Jalin Hyatt wouldn’t save the Giants much cash

Hyatt, who is one of the fastest wide receivers in the NFL, could stick around with the Giants in 2026 due to his light salary cap hit.

Sports Illustrated’s Patricia Traina pointed out this week that Hyatt’s cap hit is only $1.517 million (with $272,785 in dead money).

With Malik Nabers recently undergoing a second knee surgery (he’s hoping to be ready for the start of the season), and a new coaching staff in John Harbaugh and company, it’s reasonable to assume that New York isn’t in a hurry to move on from Hyatt. I’m sure the Giants’ new staff will look for ways to utilize the South Carolina native’s speed.

I still think a fresh start would be best for Hyatt — he’s received the Dalton Knecht treatment with the Giants the last two years — but, at least for now, it doesn’t look like that fresh start will be happening anytime soon.