Jalin Hyatt’s elite speed wasn’t supposed to be used for a quick exit.
After being de-emphasized in the Giants offense during his second season, Hyatt was non-committal Monday about his future with the organization that traded up to draft him in the third round in 2023.
“We’ll see,” Hyatt said as players emptied their lockers.
The quote caught general manager Joe Schoen’s attention and he called Hyatt because they did not have a one-on-one exit meeting due to a scheduling conflict.
Schoen said Hyatt explained it to him as understanding the question to be about his role if Darius Slayton left in free agency.
Hyatt was hoping to gain some clarity soon on how he went from starting for most of training camp to just 19 targets (eight catches for 62 yards) on 346 snaps in 16 games (one healthy scratch).
“We have some talks we have to have,” Hyatt said.
The former Biletnikoff Award winner (top receiver in college football) played 557 snaps as a rookie.
He lost some playing time to standout rookie Malik Nabers, but the Giants chose to feature Slayton over Hyatt after looking like the opposite would be true when practices started.
Hyatt would be the next in-house option to fill a departing Slayton’s shoes if the Giants still trust him to round out their receiver trio with Nabers and Wan’Dale Robinson.
“I’m always ready. I stay ready,” Hyatt said. “Simple as that.”
Hyatt mentioned a trade in a moment of frustration while on the practice field in September but did not formally request to be dealt, The Post confirmed at the time.
“I’ve still got a lot of confidence in Jalin,” Schoen added. “Some of it comes down to utilizing his skill set. He’s a vertical guy that can take the top off and can run. He’s an explosive playmaker. So, part of it starts with getting somebody in here [at quarterback] that can hopefully utilize his skill set.”
Evan Neal, a 2022 first-round pick, played a total of two snaps in the first nine games, started the next seven games at right tackle without missing a snap and then missed the season finale because of rib and hip injuries.
There has been much speculation that his future could be at guard, where the Giants need a starter with Greg Van Roten headed to free agency.
Especially if Andrew Thomas and Jermaine Eluemunor are the tackles.
“Those will be offseason conversations if that’s something that we decide,” Schoen said, “but that didn’t come up in our conversations with Evan [on Monday].”
The Giants almost certainly will decline to exercise a $17.4 million fifth-year option on Neal by May, making 2025 his walk year.
The Giants signed DT Casey Rogers, DT Ross Blacklock, C Jimmy Morrissey, C Bryan Hudson and K Jude McAtamney to futures contracts, adding them to the 90-man roster after all five finished the season on the practice squad.
Only Rogers and McAtamney appeared in games.
