Darius Slay may not be moving very far as he prepares for the 2025 season. The All-Pro corner is on the Steelers’ radar, with Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz reporting a one-year agreement is in place.
Tom Pelissero of NFL Network cautions that Slay has still not yet been released by the Eagles and that no Pittsburgh arrangement has been worked out yet. The sides are in communication, however. The Eagles had been prepared to give Slay a post-June 1 release designation.
If the Eagles are unable to pry a low-level asset from the Steelers, the veteran corner looks to have a landing spot. Slay turned 34 in January, but he is coming off playing a starting role during the Eagles’ dominant Super Bowl LIX victory. Slay spent five seasons as an Eagles starter, coming over after a trade with the Lions.
Philadelphia used first- and second-round picks on corners (Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean), and both players impressed as rookies. Slay, however, maintained a regular role for a No. 1-ranked defense. Slay played 81% of the Eagles’ defensive snaps last season and was on the field for 88% of the team’s defensive plays in Super Bowl LIX. The 12-year veteran has 28 career interceptions.
The Steelers, who have a recent history with older corners thanks to their Patrick Peterson addition, lost Donte Jackson to the Chargers today and have Cameron Sutton unsigned. The team still has Joey Porter Jr. under contract for two more seasons but now needs a boundary starter alongside Porter and slot Beanie Bishop.
Slay could fit the bill as a temporary fix, and he has a past with Steelers DC Teryl Austin. Formerly the Lions’ DC, Austin was in place in that role for four seasons. That stay overlapped with Slay’s Motor City tenure, and it it would stand to reason if Austin has provided a strong recommendation here. Slay’s eventual exit will make for three impact Eagles defenders to leave in free agency; Milton Williams and Josh Sweat found new homes today.
We did this with Patrick Peterson past his prime and it didn’t work out well. Gotta be a better option out there
My thoughts exactly
Credit where due, Steeler cynics who believe the team has become a retirement home predicted this move last week.
Not even in a “this might happen” way, no full on “this is going to happen”.
They’re in the same state, but a few hundred miles away isn’t exactly next door.