Giants' Darius Slayton calls for CBA changes if NFL adds 18th game to regular season
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell spoke about the possibility of an 18-game regular season prior to Super Bowl LIX in February.
Goodell said that there is "a lot of work to be done" before expanding the season to 18 games and said he has not had any formal discussions with the players' union about adding a game.
New York Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton thought that the NFL adding a 17th game to the regular season prior to 2021 was "insane" and said he cannot even wrap his head around a potential 18th game.
The 28-year-old wide receiver said he would like three things in the next CBA in exchange for the potential addition of an 18th regular season game.
The first thing Slayton would want is a change to the NFL's Proven Performance Escalator.
The Proven Performance Escalator increases the salary for third-through seventh round picks if they hit certain playing time thresholds. Players can earn that salary bump through the escalator if they play a minimum of 35% of offensive or defensive snaps in their first three seasons.
They can also earn the salary increase if they average at least 35% playtime in their first three seasons. The pay bump goes into effect ahead of the player's fourth season.
However, those salary increases are not guaranteed for players and general managers can play hardball and take them away, which is what happened to Slayton.
"(The) situation I was in where they can retract (the escalator). The escalator is there for guys who come into the league disadvantaged to have a chance to make a little money so why - it makes no sense that it's not (guaranteed). It makes no sense for that to be able to be taken away like I earn it," Slayton said during a recent appearance on "NFL Spotlight With Ari Meirov."
"Don't put it there then, if it's like if you can earn it (and then) take it why put it there? So those need to be guaranteed."
Slayton had earned the escalator as he was a fifth-round pick who met the qualifications for the pay raise. However, Giants general manager Joe Schoen had Slayton take a pay cut to remain with the team and essentially wiped out his escalator.
The next change Slayton would like to see in the CBA is a change in the revenue share if the NFL were to add an 18th game.
"If we could just get another even 1% or 1.5% to make it you know 49 and a half whatever. I think it's 48 and a half right now. I think even if we get to like 49 and a half, that 1% in that instance, you're talking about hundreds of millions of dollars. All the places that that (additional money) could go, that 1% is very, very valuable. That's why they're holding on to it so tight," Slayton said.
The last thing Slayton said he would like is a greater investment from teams across the NFL in their training staff to accommodate the extra game.
"Each team's investment in the training staff and the body maintenance like that could definitely be higher across the board. As far as anything, you need access too to keep your body right or get your body right like there could be more money put there to handle that," Slayton said.
"I'm on a team that actually does probably one of the best jobs in the league. But I just know for a fact like just listening to guys across the league like that could certainly be higher. If you wanted people's bodies hold up, that's a department where you could pour more money into and at least help guys more."
Slayton notably said that he does not think the NFL should add a second bye week to the schedule.
"I don't know about two (bye weeks) because like getting yourself going after a buy is a hard thing," Slayton said.
The NFL's data shows that there are more soft tissue injuries after a bye week, according to Ari Meirov.
Slayton said it is up to the player's union to fight for those changes.
"That's going to be on us as a players' union and a PA to fight for the things that we would need in return if we were to add an 18th game, but it's definitely not, it's certainly not ideal for the players," Slayton said.
The Giants selected Slayton with their fifth-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft out of Auburn.
In six seasons with the Giants, Slayton has 259 catches with 3,897 yards and 21 touchdowns. Last season, Slayton had 39 catches for 573 yards and two touchdowns.
Slayton was a free agent in the offseason, but remained with the Giants on a three-year, $36 million contract.
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