Former Tennessee WR Jalin Hyatt's situation with the New York Giants just got even murkier
Former Tennessee Vols wide receiver Jalin Hyatt's future with the New York Giants became even murkier this weekend. Earlier this offseason, the Giants signed wide receiver Darius Slayton to a three-year deal worth $36 million. Slayton, who caught 39 passes for 573 yards and two touchdowns last season, is the main reason that Hyatt didn't […]
Former Tennessee Vols wide receiver Jalin Hyatt's future with the New York Giants became even murkier this weekend.
Earlier this offseason, the Giants signed wide receiver Darius Slayton to a three-year deal worth $36 million.
Slayton, who caught 39 passes for 573 yards and two touchdowns last season, is the main reason that Hyatt didn't see more playing time last season in New York. With Slayton returning to the Giants for the next three seasons, Hyatt's path to playing time is likely blocked (barring injury, of course).
On Saturday, the Giants signed veteran wide receiver Zach Pascal to a one year contract, further complicating Hyatt's situation with the Giants.
At this point, it seems obvious that the Giants don't view Hyatt as a big part of their immediate future. The former Vol has no clear path to playing time and the team continues to bring in depth options that could challenge Hyatt for snaps.
Hyatt hasn't put up big numbers since being selected by the Giants in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft, but that's mostly because he hasn't received opportunities (and also because of the Giants' poor quarterback play the last two seasons).
I think it's clear that Hyatt needs a fresh start. He needs to be in an offense that will give him a chance to utilize his elite skill set.
This is a player that torched a Nick Saban coached Alabama team in 2022. Hyatt also won the Biletnikoff Award in 2022 over guys like Marvin Harrison Jr and Malik Nabers. I don't know what Hyatt's ceiling is in the NFL, and I'm not suggesting that he's going to have the same success in the NFL that Nabers and Harrison had as rookies last season. But at the same time, we haven't really even seen a glimpse of what Hyatt can accomplish in the NFL because he simply hasn't received opportunities with the Giants.
Hyatt's future in New York is murky at best. That's why the former Vol should hope that he's traded before the start of the 2025 season. Otherwise, Hyatt could be buried on the Giants' depth chart for the next two seasons before hitting free agency in 2027 as an unknown commodity — something that almost certainly won't lead to a lucrative free agent deal for the South Carolina native.
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