INDIANAPOLIS — The best option the Colts thought they could find on the open market to fill the Alec Pierce void has ended up providing nothing of value this season.
The Colts released Darius Slayton on Friday, roughly four weeks after signing the former Giant in the hopes that he could provide the downfield threat that’s sorely absent from the Indianapolis offense with Pierce on injured reserve.
Slayton never played in a game for the Colts.
Indianapolis initially had high hopes for Slayton. The seven-year veteran has averaged 15.0 yards per catch on 296 catches in his career, serving as New York’s best deep threat until a core muscle injury at the end of the 2025 season.
He apparently has not recovered his full capabilities.
A Giants team that spent the offseason taking risks at wide receiver — New York signed Odell Beckham Jr.—ended up cutting Slayton at the end of training camp, preferring to release the veteran wide receiver rather than keep him on the roster.
Indianapolis signed Slayton three weeks later, hoping his familiarity with Jones could provide the deep presence missing without Pierce in the lineup. Unafraid of the Colts’ wide receivers, defenses are moving everything toward the line of scrimmage, taking away space for players like Jonathan Taylor, Josh Downs and Tyler Warren to operate.
Up until the end of last week, the Colts were still holding out hope on Slayton, even though the veteran suffered a knee injury at the end of last week’s practices.
By the time Indianapolis began its week of preparation for the Titans, all Colts head coach Shane Steichen would say was that Slayton’s knee injury had gotten better.
Now, Slayton is gone, a failed flyer in a season that has been full of underwhelming or outright failed acquisitions, leaving Indianapolis painfully thin at a handful of positions.
Including wide receiver.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: WR Darius Slayton released; why he couldn’t get on the field for a desperate Colts team