RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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EAST RUTHERFORD - Calvin Austin was carving out a role for himself in the New York Giants ' offense before his emergence was abruptly halted by a knee injury the team fears will cost him the season.
Austin was praised by Giants coach John Harbaugh just one day earlier for his ability to play all three wide receiver positions, not only in the slot, and he had been coming on as of late with a strong connection with Jaxson Dart.
So what will the Giants do now to compensate for the anticipated loss of Austin?
Here's how things stack up at the position as the Giants enter their final week of the preseason in advance of Friday's exhibition finale against the Jets at MetLife Stadium with Sunday's NFL-mandated roster cutdown to 53 looming.
Wide receiver: Breaking down the depth chart
Starters: Malik Nabers, Malachi Fields
Next up: Darius Slayton, Darnell Mooney, Odell Beckham Jr., Braxton Berrios
Long shots/potential practice squad: Dalen Cambre, Isaiah Hodgins, Xavier Gipson, Jalin Hyatt
Overview: The Giants will likely keep six wide receivers on the active roster and the third-round rookie Fields has earned the trust of coaches and teammates to pair with Nabers as he aims for a Week 1 return. Let's take a look at the next four options.
Darius Slayton
At 29, Slayton is the longest tenured Giant. As a fifth-round pick, he stands as the biggest draft win for the Giants' previous front office regime. In some ways, his contributions are underappreciated. There are also the dropped passes in key situations that he still can't shake. In an ideal world, Slayton is a WR3 who should be able to use his speed and downfield tracking ability to make big plays. His inconsistency can be frustrating at times, even if Slayton fought through a sports hernia last year that may have contributed to his struggles. He had surgery in the spring to repair the injury. A $15.9 million salary cap hit hangs over his head and that of the team, but Slayton has stepped up his game in recent weeks after a quiet start to camp.
Darnell Mooney
Mooney has had his moments this summer, and he has a 1,000-yard season on his resume from his time with OC Matt Nagy in Chicago. Could Slayton or Mooney be a target for a receiver-needy team, helping settle what is a crowded race right now? It's possible, but uncertain at the moment. A lot could depend on which receivers are healthy and available come late Friday night into Saturday. And without Austin, the Giants could lean on Mooney's experience.
Braxton Berrios
Berrios can be a game-changing weapon as a returner, and he's done well in the slot, too. He's likely the beneficiary of Austin's absence if the Giants want a straight swap of slot receiver for slot receiver. Berrios has shown off his precise route running and great feel for playing from the inside out. He is fully recovered from an injury-plagued 2025 campaign and is now two years post-ACL. Provided he stays healthy, Berrios appears to now be a lock.
Odell Beckham Jr.
Beckham's quest to complete his comeback story has been better than most anticipated, considering he looks fresh and his game has unexpected juice despite taking every assigned snap during a grueling John Harbaugh camp. No one would have expected that after nearly two years out of the league. At 33, Beckham has continued to stand out more with earned opportunities with Dart and Jameis Winston.
When Austin went down Tuesday, it's as if Beckham saw the chance to prove he can step up. He caught five passes in team drills, including two from Dart, and one of those was on a throw he snatched from cornerback Paulson Adebo while in the air before landing and racing the rest of the way for a long touchdown.
It'd be difficult to see the Giants releasing Beckham now if they keep six WR, and the more he works into the mix, Odell 2.0 is flashing more and more. Nagy indicated Tuesday that beyond learning the playbook, which he essentially did in two weeks back in June, Beckham continues to immerse himself in the offense conceptually, and that time on task with Dart and Winston is paying dividends.
Final thoughts on Giants WR without Calvin Austin
While Harbaugh will likely have his offense initially lean into 12 personnel (two WR, two TE) more than 11 personnel (three WR, one TE) - which was a staple under former coach Brian Daboll - it's hard to see the Giants keeping fewer than six receivers. There could be a push for Cambre, who is a special teams ace and a slot receiver who is developing, but he could start out on the practice squad. If the Giants are not sold on anyone here in the slot and feel they can find an Austin-type on the market, at the right price, it's not outrageous to suggest they could consider bringing someone in.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: How Calvin Austin injury affects Giants depth chart at wide receiver
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