Darius Slay

Steelers, CB Darius Slay Agree To Deal

March 12th, 2025 at 3:41pm CST by Sam Robinson

Darius Slay‘s Steelers agreement is now final. After being rumored to be close to landing the veteran cornerback, Pittsburgh will indeed bring in the two-time Super Bowl starter.

The team is adding Slay on a one-year, $10MM pact, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter reports. The deal comes fully guaranteed for Slay, who turned 34 shortly before the Eagles’ Super Bowl LIX win. Slay will join running back Kenneth Gainwell in changing Pennsylvania addresses this week. Slay will also rejoin ex-Lions DC Teryl Austin in Pittsburgh.

This deal comes minutes after the 2025 league year starting greenlit Slay’s official Philadelphia exit. The Eagles had planned to cut Slay for a bit, but teams cannot designate players as post-June 1 releases until 3pm CT today. The Steelers waited a bit, but they have added a boundary starter opposite Joey Porter Jr. The player who primarily worked in that role last season, Donte Jackson, joined the Chargers this week.

While this transaction will officially end the biannual Darius Slay-Darius Slayton divisional matchup, Slay did well to secure an opportunity quickly at an age when most corners are long retired. The batch of corners that topped this year’s free agent market were in their late 20s, scoring nice third contracts after smartly inking two- or three-year deals previously.

This is Slay’s fourth contract, illustrating the talent the ex-Eagles and Lions defender has displayed. He played two seasons on a three-year, $39MM Eagles accord, but after Philly drafted first- and second-round CBs last year, they bid farewell to Super Bowl LVII starters Slay and James Bradberry.

Bradberry missed all of last season, but Slay was in place as the veteran corner giving the Eagles experience while Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean acclimated. Slay started all 14 games he played last season and logged an 81% snap rate. That was slightly down from his previous seasons, though given Slay’s age and the Eagles’ deep CB depth chart last season, it makes sense. Slay, however, played at least 85% of the Eagles’ defensive snaps in each of their four playoff games — including an 88% Super Bowl LIX rate.

Pittsburgh had given Patrick Peterson a chance to play an age-33 season in 2023; the Steelers will bet on Slay having one more good year in the tank. Slay has planned for 2025 to be his finale. If so, he will work in a familiar system, as the six-time Pro Bowler began his ascent under Austin in Detroit. Austin coached the Lions’ defense from 2014-17; Slay’s issues with the Lions came after Matt Patricia‘s 2018 arrival. Patricia played a central role in the Eagles’ defensive descent in 2023, but Slay had signed off on a reunion. After the Eagles moved back on track with Vic Fangio, Slay reestablished momentum to gain a shot at a rare age-34 CB season.

Steelers In Talks With CB Darius Slay

March 10th, 2025 at 1:43pm CST by Adam La Rose

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.

Eagles To Release Darius Slay

March 3rd, 2025 at 11:28pm CST by Adam La Rose

Darius Slay‘s decorated tenure with the Eagles is coming to an end. The Pro Bowl corner will be released, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Such a scenario has been raised recently, meaning the move does not come as a complete surprise. Eyeing one more year in the NFL, Slay will now need to find a new home for the second time in his career. Schefter notes this will be processed as a post-June 1 cut.

As a result, the Eagles will see $4.32MM in cap savings while generating a dead money charge of $9.44MM which can be spread across two years. No guaranteed salary remained on Slay’s pact for 2025, the final year of the deal. By moving on this offseason, Philadelphia will avoid paying out an option bonus of roughly $5MM which was due on September 1. Slay will officially become a free agent at the start of the new league year.

A seven-year stint with the Lions ended in 2020 when Slay was traded to the Eagles. He was a stalwart in the secondary during his time in Philadelphia, collecting three of his six Pro Bowl nods during that span. Of course, Slay’s tenure with the team will be best remembered for the two Super Bowl appearances – including one title – he played a central role in.

Slay’s time with the Eagles appeared to be coming to an end in 2023, but an agreement was reached allowing him to remain in the fold. The former All-Pro racked up between one and three interceptions during each of his first four Philadelphia campaigns, but he was held without one during the regular season in 2024. Slay was nevertheless a key figure on the Eagles’ run to the Super Bowl. Still, the decision to use first- and second-round picks on the CB position in last year’s draft (Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean) foreshadowed a parting of ways.

While Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz notes an Eagles reunion (at a reduced cost compared to the $16MM Slay was owed for 2025) could be in play, the team has other young options to turn to. Mitchell, DeJean and Kelee Ringo are all attached to their rookie contracts; Isaiah Rodgers is a pending free agent but retaining him on a low-cost deal could be a priority for Philadelphia. As the team continues to transition to a younger secondary, Slay should still have a notable market.

Any number of suitors will pursue starting-caliber options at the cornerback position, and even at the age of 34 Slay could serve as an effective one-year rental. The Mississippi State product preferred to finish his career with the Eagles, but he recently noted a return to the Lions represented his next-best scenario. Carlton Davis is a pending free agent, and losing him would leave Detroit in need of a first-team replacement.

Failing that, other teams could emerge especially since Slay will be available on a one-year pact (provided he intends to stick to his stated timeline of retiring after the 2025 campaign). It will be interesting to see where his final NFL campaign takes place.

Eagles Expected To Move On From CB Darius Slay, Re-Sign CB Isaiah Rodgers?

February 23rd, 2025 at 9:12pm CST by Rory Parks

Eagles cornerback Darius Slay has indicated he wants to retire at the end of the upcoming season. He also said he would like to finish his playing career with Philadelphia, and his contract with the club does run through 2025.

However, there has been some question as to whether the Eagles will retain the six-time Pro Bowler, and according to Eliot Shorr-Parks of 94WIP.com, the club is not expected to bring Slay back. Given the high quality of Slay’s performance even as he nears the end of his career – he limited opposing passers to an 81.9 QB rating in 2024 and finished with a strong 73.3 overall grade from Pro Football Focus – one would think that such a decision would be largely motivated by salary cap considerations.

But releasing or trading Slay prior to June 1 would result in a dead money charge of $22.71MM and would actually decrease Philadelphia’s cap space. Even a post-June 1 maneuver would create only $4.32MM of space while still saddling the team with over $9MM of dead money.

That makes Shorr-Parks’ report even more intriguing, especially since fellow corner Isaiah Rodgers is an impending free agent. Shorr-Parks believes the Eagles could have bigger plans for Rodgers, who saw a modest 36% snap share in 2024 after serving a year-long suspension in 2023 for violating the NFL’s gambling policy.

Despite the somewhat limited action, Rodgers played well last season, finishing as PFF’s 24th-best corner out of 116 qualified players (just one spot below Slay, albeit in a considerably smaller sample size). One of the biggest reasons for Philadelphia’s turnaround from its one-and-done showing in the 2023 playoffs to a Super Bowl title in 2024 was the improvement of its pass defense, and Rodgers – along with rookies Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean – was a key addition to the secondary.

Shorr-Parks suggests Rodgers – who is a popular and vocal player – could be retained on a fairly modest two-year contract worth around $10MM. He could also take over Slay’s role and play opposite Mitchell as a starting boundary corner, which would allow Super Bowl hero DeJean to remain in the slot. The team is still rostering 2023 fourth-rounder Kelee Ringo as well, and he could at least compete for the CB2 gig (though defensive coordinator Vic Fangio appears to prefer Rodgers to Ringo).

If the Eagles do move on from Slay, the longtime Lion has said he would like to return to Detroit. The Lions could certainly be in the market for CB help, particularly if Carlton Davis departs in free agency.

Darius Slay Wants To Retire After 2025 Season, Open To Lions Return

February 20th, 2025 at 11:57am CST by Nikhil Mehta

FENRUARY 20: During an appearance on the St. Brown Podcast (video link), Slay repeated that his preference would be to remain with the Eagles for 2025, the final year of his pact. In the event his time in Philadelphia were to come to an end, though, the former Lion added his next choice would be to return to Detroit. Slay spent his first seven years in the Motor City, and especially if Carlton Davis were to depart in free agency the Lions could be in the market for a cornerback addition. That will of course be a moot point if the Eagles retain Slay for next year.

FEBRUARY 5: Eagles cornerback Darius Slay‘s current focus is winning the first Super Bowl of his career, but he has already thought about his plans for the 2025 season and beyond.

The 12-year veteran would like to play one more season before retiring, per Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post, and he’d prefer to finish his career in Philadelphia.

“Next year will most likely be my last,” said Slay during Super Bowl media availability. “I would love for it to be with the Philadelphia Eagles.”

The eight-time Pro Bowler is still playing at a high level despite his age, though 2024 was his first interception-less season since his 2013 rookie year. He has missed eight games due to injury over the last two seasons, including a four-game absence in 2023 due to knee surgery. By the time the 2025 season ends, Slay will be 35 years old, making retirement a natural next step.

Slay’s comments indicate that a return to Philadelphia next season is not a certainty, though his contract would make it difficult to move on. After renegotiating his deal in 2023, his 2025 cap hit comes in just under $13.8MM, per OverTheCap, an affordable price for a starting boundary corner. A release before the new league year would force the Eagles to account for $22.7MM as a dead cap hit in 2025, a difficult proposition considering their cap situation and need to sign key pending free agents like Zack Baun. A post-June 1 release would allow the Eagles to spread Slay’s dead cap hits between 2025 and 2026, but they would also have to pick up his $16.1MM option bonus and account for it as dead money.

As a result, the best option for both sides seems to be Slay playing out his contract in Philadelphia as he desires. The Eagles could then restructure his deal to allow for a post-June 1 retirement designation, as the Rams did for Aaron Donald to spread out his remaining dead money.

Eagles CB Darius Slay Addresses Playing Future

July 12th, 2024 at 2:22pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Eagles made a number of cornerback additions this offseason, highlighted by the selections of Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean in the first two rounds of the draft. The team still has James Bradberry and Darius Slay in the mix, although those veterans are no doubt closer to the end of their careers than the beginning.

In the latter’s case, two years remain on his deal. Slay’s Philadelphia future came into question last offseason when the team appeared to be prepared to release him. An extension was worked out, though, and the 33-year-old is now set to continue as a starting perimeter corner on an Eagles defense which struggled down the stretch in 2023. Slay is aware, however, that his time in the NFL is nearing an end.

“Ahh s—. Not too many,” he said when asked about about more years he intends to play (via Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports Philadelphia). “I’m not going to just keep playing. I’m going to let these young guys eat. That’s what I’m here for, to make sure these guys get there. And when my time is up, It’s up. I’m ready to be a full-time daddy and stuff.”

Slay has been a full-time starter throughout his four-year Eagles tenure. That could remain the case in 2024 with Bradberry facing the possibility of transitioning to safety in the waning stages of his career. Mitchell, DeJean and free agent addition Isaiah Rodgers are among the contenders for notable defensive playing time this season. Given their collective lack of experience at the pro level, Slay is a natural fit in a mentorship role.

The former Lion has earned a Pro Bowl nod in each of the past three seasons, collecting eight interceptions during that span. Slay will be counted on to remain a productive member of the Eagles’ defense – a unit now led by Vic Fangio – for at least the coming campaign. He could stay in the fold for 2025 (a year in which he is scheduled to receive $16MM) but beyond that questions will linger about his playing future. Considering his remarks, Slay should not be expected to target a deal allowing his NFL tenure to continue deep into the 2020s.

Eagles CB Darius Slay Aiming For Postseason Return

December 25th, 2023 at 2:16pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Eagles were without Darius Slay during their most recent loss after he underwent knee surgery. No firm recovery timeline is in place, but the All-Pro corner recently provided an update on his health status.

When speaking to the media, Slay said the knee issue he had been dealing with dated all the way back to 2019. After attempting to continue playing through it this season, his mobility dropped to 30%, leading to the decision to go under the knife. Slay declined to add if would suit up again in the regular season, but he said he will be available in time for the playoffs (h/t EJ Smith of the Philadelphia Inquirer).

Getting the five-time Pro Bowler back at any point would be a welcomed development for a reeling Eagles defense, but a path is in place for Philadelphia to earn the top spot in the NFC East with or without him the rest of the way. Resting until the postseason would help Slay’s recovery process, but the team’s secondary could benefit from his return earlier than that.

Slay has had another productive campaign in 2023. The 32-year-old has collected 57 tackles, 14 pass deflections and a pair of interceptions (one of which was returned for a touchdown). He has also delivered coverage statistics roughly in line with his two most recent campaigns, although the Eagles’ pass defense has been a sore spot this year. The team enters today’s contest surrendering an average of 255 yards per game through the air, which ranks 27th in the league.

The return of slot corner Avonte Maddox will provide a boost on the backend, and having Slay back no later than the postseason will give the Eagles another starter as the team transitions to Matt Patricia handling play-calling responsibilities. With Slay having not been placed on IR, no roster transaction will be needed for him to return to the lineup.

Eagles CB Darius Slay Sidelined After Knee Surgery

December 16th, 2023 at 10:47am CST by Ben Levine

The Eagles will be without a key defender for at least Monday night’s game against the Seahawks. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, cornerback Darius Slay underwent arthroscopic knee surgery this week that will sideline him for at least one game.

While coach Nick Sirianni declined to say exactly how long Slay would be out, he did reveal that the cornerback is expected back on the field by the end of the regular season. With only four games remaining on the regular season schedule, this means Slay will likely avoid a trip to the injured reserve.

The veteran defensive back has been dealing with a knee issue for the entire season. The injury forced him to miss Philly’s Week 6 loss to the Jets, and Slay has only practice once over the past two weeks. With the Eagles sitting towards the top of the NFC, the team is clearly hoping to get Slay right before the playoffs.

Despite the lingering injury, the five-time Pro Bowler is having another productive season in 2023. In 12 starts, Slay has collected 57 tackles, 14 passes defended, and two interceptions (including a pick-six). Pro Football Focus has Slay ranked 41st among 119 qualifying cornerbacks, with the site giving him especially high marks for his coverage.

With Slay sidelined, it’s uncertain who will step into the starting lineup. Kelee Ringo seems like the most likely candidate to start opposite James Bradberry, with the rookie fourth-round pick recently jumping Josh Jobe on the depth chart. Per ESPN’s Jeff McLane, the Eagles could also consider moving Bradley Roby from the slot to the outside while Slay is sidelined.

Eagles Addressed Darius Slay-Matt Patricia Past Before Making Hire

June 23rd, 2023 at 4:06pm CST by Sam Robinson

Multiple paths were in play for Darius Slay and Matt Patricia this offseason, but the two former Lions coworkers are now key parts of the Eagles’ defensive blueprint.

The Eagles discussed Slay in trades and were close to cutting him, but an extension agreement will keep the standout cornerback in Philadelphia. Patricia interviewed for the Broncos’ defensive coordinator job, was in play to stay with the Patriots and appeared on the Rams’ radar. But he is now in Philly as well.

Philly hired Patricia as a senior defensive assistant in April, well after the HC and coordinator carousels stopped. This made for an interesting move for a few reasons. Patricia’s success has occurred entirely in New England, and the veteran defensive coach is coming off a strange season in which he was asked to call the Pats’ offensive plays. Patricia, 48, also has a history with Slay from their Detroit days. Slay clashed with Patricia early during the latter’s run as the Detroit HC and at one point during Patricia’s 2018 debut, the then-Lions Pro Bowler said he did not respect the new coach. Patricia also, per Slay, questioned the accomplished cornerback’s abilities.

This feud reached the point the Eagles felt it prudent to address the matter before finalizing the Patricia hire, Albert Breer of SI.com notes. The initial Slay trade rumors surfaced shortly after Patricia emerged on Philly’s radar, but the two will work together despite their late-2010s drama. For his part, Slay said the parties’ relationship has been “cordial” this offseason, per Jenna Malinowski of the Detroit Free Press.

“It’s another day at the office,” Slay said. “We both got the same goal, just going out there to compete and win a championship, so that’s the main focus.”

Patricia not having the same authority level and not directly overseeing Slay stands to help matters in Philly, but given the latter’s importance to the Eagles’ defense — as reflected by the new $23MM guarantee the team authorized despite Slay being 32 — this hire can be questioned. But Patricia has thus far proven a solid resource for new DC Sean Desai, Breer adds.

The Eagles are transitioning to mostly new personnel on their defensive staff. Following Jonathan Gannon‘s messy departure, the Eagles lost defensive backs coach Dennard Wilson, who had been a candidate for the DC job. Linebackers coach Nick Rallis followed Gannon to Arizona. The team promoted assistant DBs coach D.K. McDonald to fill Wilson’s role, while D.J. Eliot — a college DC over the past 10 years who most recently served in that capacity at Temple — is now in charge of the linebackers. Patricia has experience coaching both position groups and obviously is best known for his six-year run as the Patriots’ defensive coordinator. Considering the staff turnover in Philly, Patricia stands to be an important presence in Desai’s first season leading the defense.

Ravens Pursued CB Darius Slay

March 26th, 2023 at 10:20pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Eagles were able to maintain both members of their starting corner tandem this offseason, despite a tight financial situation and a number of defensive starters departing in free agency. That included bringing back Darius Slay on a new deal, but the veteran would have had the opportunity to head to the AFC North had Philadelphia allowed him to leave.

The Ravens had “significant interest” in signing Slay, per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic (subscription required). That comes as little surprise on a number of fronts, given the five-time Pro Bowler’s pedigree and Baltimore’s need at the position. Slay was slated to hit the open market after he and the Eagles failed to agree to terms on a restructure to his existing contract. One day after it was reported he would be released, however, Slay inked a two-year deal to remain with the NFC champions.

In that brief window of opportunity, Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post confirms that Baltimore made a “concerted effort” to sign Slay. The 32-year-old would have been reunited with Dennard Wilson, who left the Eagles this offseason to become the Ravens’ new secondary coach. The latter was in consideration for Philadelphia’s defensive coordinator vacancy, but the team’s decision to look outside the organization led to his departure.

Slay himself confirmed that he nearly signed with the Ravens. “I was almost — this close — a Baltimore Raven,” Slay recently said on his Big Play Slay podcast (via Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk). Slay added that Baltimore offered him the money that he was seeking, but his preference was to remain with the Eagles. Because he and Philadelphia were able to work out the financials, he got his wish.

Slay enjoyed a highly productive season in 2022, earning a Pro Bowl nod for the second straight season. He totaled three interceptions and 14 pass deflections last year, putting up strong coverage numbers along the way. That would have made him an attractive option to not only the Ravens, but any number of other potential suitors in need of an addition at the CB spot. Baltimore certainly fits that description at the moment, however.

The Ravens have Marlon Humphrey on the books through 2026, but fellow starter Marcus Peters is a free agent. The latter missed all of 2021 with a torn ACL, and struggled this past season upon his return to the field. Given his downturn in production (Peters recorded only one interception, the lowest single-season total of his career), a deal worth much less than the three-year, $42MM one he played on upon arrival in Baltimore should be expected this time around.

Assuming he gets it from a new team, Peters’ departure would leave the Ravens in need of a starting-caliber boundary corner. Slay certainly would have fit that bill, but Baltimore is now tasked with either retaining Peters or looking elsewhere in free agency and/or the draft if they need to replace him.

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