The Indianapolis Colts’ attempt to reunite Daniel Jones with one of his former New York Giants targets has officially come to an end. Indianapolis released veteran wide receiver Darius Slayton on Friday, according to NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport. That effectively ended a brief partnership that never gained traction.

The Colts signed Slayton on September 22 after Alec Pierce suffered a significant heel injury. They hoped the receiver’s familiarity with Jones would provide an immediate boost to Shane Steichen’s vertical passing attack. Instead, the reunion fizzled before it could produce meaningful results. Slayton struggled to find a consistent role behind Keenan Allen, Josh Downs, Deion Burks, and Laquon Treadwell. That left Indianapolis with little reason to keep the experiment going. With Pierce making progress in his recovery and reportedly shedding his walking boot, the Colts have opted to move on rather than wait for Slayton to find his footing.

Slayton’s departure is a disappointing development for a career built on stretching defenses. Selected by the Giants in the fifth round of the 2019 NFL Draft out of Auburn, he quickly established himself as a dependable deep threat. He opened his career with 740 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. He then remained a productive option through seven seasons in New York. Slayton recorded 296 receptions for 4,435 yards and 22 touchdowns with the Giants. He led the franchise in receiving yards in four of his first five seasons. His speed and ability to generate explosive gains made him a valuable weapon, even as the team cycled through quarterbacks and offensive coordinators.

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For Indianapolis, the timing of the release suggests a shift toward restoring its preferred receiving corps. The Colts enter Week 6 preparing for an AFC South matchup against the Tennessee Titans.