Giants' Darnell Mooney Development is a Mistake Waiting to Happen

When the New York Giants signed wide receiver Darnell Mooney to a one-year contract in NFL free agency, it immediately appeared to be a great move.

After all, Mooney is a downfield burner with one 1,000-yard campaign under his belt, and he finished just shy of another in 2024.

Given Malik Nabers' shaky health status and the fact that the Giants lacked depth in their receiving corps overall, Mooney seemed to be a tremendous addition.

But suddenly, Mooney's future with New York is in question.

The Giants have been getting trade calls on the 28-year-old, and he was conspicuously not on the field during New York's preseason win over the Miami Dolphins on Saturday.

What's more, Mooney barely played in the preseason opener against the Minnesota Vikings.

That doesn't necessarily mean that Mooney is a goner. After all, he is a veteran, and he doesn't actually need exhibition snaps. But you would think the Giants would want to get him accustomed to the offense, right?

Well, now, Dan Duggan of The Athletic has thrown more fuel on to the fire, claiming that Mooney could be a trade chip following his absence on Saturday.

Let me just say right now that trading Mooney would be a mistake.

Nabers has looked good in training camp, but there is no guarantee he is going to be 100 percent by Week 1 ... or at any point in 2026. And while Malachi Fields has looked great this summer, he's just a rookie.

Otherwise, New York has Darius Slayton, Calvin Austin III and Odell Beckham Jr. at wide receiver. The Giants have a lot of bodies, but not a ton of quality.

Mooney is likely no worse than the third-worst receiver on the roster behind Nabers and Fields. Sorry, but you're going to have a very hard time convincing me that Slayton or a 33-year-old Beckham is better.

I understand that Mooney and Austin are slightly redundant due to the fact that they are both undersized, but they are also different. Mooney is entirely capable of playing outside. Austin, meanwhile, is almost strictly a slot receiver.

Does John Harbaugh trust a third-round rookie in Fields enough to cut ties with Mooney? It's a scary proposition.

Jaxson Dart is entering a critical sophomore year under center, and he needs as many weapons around him as possible. Subtracting Mooney would only make his job more difficult.

Yes, I understand that New York has a pretty deep group of running backs (especially after the addition of Najee Harris), all of whom are capable of catching passes. And I also understand that Isaiah Likely and Theo Johnson comprise a nice duo at tight end.

But it's never a good idea to part ways with a weapon who has shown he is fully capable of posting 1,000 yards. Unless the Giants receive a very generous offer for Mooney, they should absolutely hold on to him.