Overview
- The Colts released Darius Slayton on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, ending a stint of under four weeks in which he never played a regular-season snap for Indianapolis.
- Coaches said Slayton struggled to translate practice into game readiness as he learned the offense and then suffered a knee issue that kept him out of a game, with head coach Shane Steichen saying he "had some good weeks of practice" but it "just didn't work out."
- Indianapolis signed Slayton in late September after Alec Pierce was placed on injured reserve to add a vertical threat and to reunite him with quarterback Daniel Jones, but Slayton was a healthy scratch during his early weeks with the team.
- The release leaves the Colts short on proven downfield weapons while Pierce remains on IR and other receivers battle injuries, though the team reported a positive practice update for Josh Downs ahead of Week 6.
- Slayton, 29, spent seven seasons with the New York Giants (296 catches for 4,435 yards and 22 TDs) and entered free agency after offseason core surgery, so his quick release raises questions about his near-term career and whether another team will sign him for veteran depth.