Darius Slay - Pro Football Rumors

Extra Points: Slay, Lions, Bills, Griffin, Oher

February 19th, 2016 at 9:19pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Lions cornerback Darius Slay has made it clear that he’d like to sign an extension with Detroit, and it looks like some movement may be coming on that front. According to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link), Slay’s new agent Drew Rosenhaus will meet with the Lions at the scouting combine to discuss a new contract. As Cole notes, it probably makes sense for Detroit to strike a deal now — and add some guaranteed money in 2016 while they’re flush with cap space — instead of waiting until next offseason and running the risk of having to franchise Slay.

Here’s a few more notes from around the NFL:

Restricted free agent Corbin Bryant believes he can be part of the solution in Buffalo, and the Bills defensive lineman wants to be retained, as Tyler Dunne of the Buffalo News writes. Because of cap trouble, Dunne expects the Bills to tender Bryant, a restricted free agent, at the lowest level, but he notes (via Twitter) that the two sides haven’t had any talks as of yet.
While Bryant is set to hit restricted free agency, Bills linebacker Nigel Bradham is an unrestricted free agent, and he’s willing to accept a one-year, “prove-it” deal to return to Buffalo, reports Dunne (Twitter link). Bradham was a much better fit under former Buffalo DC Jim Schwartz than he is in Rex Ryan‘s system, but general manger Doug Whaley wants Bradham to return, per Dunne.
Free agent safety Michael Griffin has hired David Mulugheta and Andrew Kessler as his new agents, as Rand Getlin of NFL Network reports (Twitter link). The 31-year-old Griffin was released last week after nine seasons with the Titans.
Like Slay did earlier this year, Panthers tackle Michael Oher has hired Rosenhaus as his representative, tweets Getlin. Oher, coming off a surprisingly successful first season in Carolina, has a $4.5MM 2016 cap charge in the second year of a two-year deal, and could be a candidate for an extension.

Darius Slay Hires Rosenhaus Sports

January 18th, 2016 at 3:23pm CST by Luke Adams

Darius Slay wants to sign a contract extension this winter, and he’s putting himself in the best position possible to make that happen. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), that includes changing agents, with Slay making the move from Relativity Sports to Drew Rosenhaus’ agency, Rosenhaus Sports.

Slay, who turned 25 on New Year’s Day, was a 2013 draft pick, making him extension-eligible when the Lions’ regular season ended. Because he was a second-round pick, coming off the board 36th overall, Slay doesn’t have a fifth-year option on his rookie contract, meaning he’ll be heading into a contract year in 2016 if he and the Lions can’t work something out.

We heard back in November that Slay wanted to sign a contract extension, and while we haven’t heard the same sort of reports about the Lions’ interest in a new deal, one has to assume that the team is eager to get something done. In his third season in the NFL and second as a full starter, Slay recorded 58 tackles and a pair of interceptions, and continued to develop into one of the league’s best cornerbacks.

Pro Football Focus’ grades for corners this year rank only one player above Slay, and that player – Tyrann Mathieu – spent plenty of time at safety as well, and finished the year on injured reserve. Slay’s performance against both the pass and the run placed him slightly ahead of every other corner in the league, per PFF, including top-10 players Richard Sherman, Patrick Peterson, and Chris Harris.

Slay’s contract will be one of many issues to address this offseason for new general manager Bob Quinn. As Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press writes, Quinn has an opportunity to make a major impact in his first year with the franchise, since the Lions have holes on both sides of the ball, and have the cap room necessary to be real players in free agency, if they so choose.

Slay is currently projected to earn a base salary of about $976K in 2016, with a cap hit of approximately $1.683MM.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Lions’ Darius Slay Wants Contract Extension

November 24th, 2015 at 7:25pm CST by Zachary Links

Lions cornerback Darius Slay having a heck of a year and it sounds like he wants to continue this level of play in Honolulu blue. When asked if he’d be open to signing an extension with Detroit this offseason, Slay did not hesitate.

“I mean, of course,” Slay said, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “Who wouldn’t? I’d be loving that. But I’m going to let the people upstairs handle that business and I’m just going to handle what I can control.”

NFL teams are allowed to start discussing contract extensions with 2013 draft picks this offseason and the Lions are likely anxious to get talks underway with their 2013 second-round choice out of Mississippi State. Slay has 35 tackles, nine pass breakups and one interception in ten games, and according to Pro Football Focus, has allowed just 15 yards receiving the last three weeks. All in all, he has been one of the league’s best corners in 2015.

In addition to Slay, the Lions figure to address the futures of defensive end Ezekiel Ansah (first round), guard Larry Warford (third), punter Sam Martin (fifth), and running back Theo Riddick (sixth) this offseason.

NFC Notes: Cards, Lions, 49ers, Rams

June 14th, 2014 at 4:47pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Cardinals have plenty of time to evaluate the players on their roster before they have to cut it down to 53 men, but Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com has predicted which 53 will be suiting up for the team Week 1. Weinfuss writes that the first 45 were easy, but narrowing down the final eight was a difficult decision. Paul Fanaika, Brittan Golden and Jaron Brown were some of the toughest cuts on this list.

Here are some other notes from around the NFC:

Since the Lions released veteran cornerback Chris Houston, they are left with a thin secondary, writes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Rashean Mathis should be slotted to be the team’s top corner, but the 33-year old veteran is not what he once was. After Mathis, the team has last year’s second-round pick Darius Slay, who struggled mightily in 2013. Aside from those two, there is a long list of question marks rounding out the depth chart.
The 49ers acquired Jonathan Martin earlier this offseason, and are now trying to move him inside from tackle to guard, writes Tyson Langland of Bleacher Report. However, Langland is far from optimistic about Martin’s ability to change positions with his new team. Although he has struggled at both left and right tackle, his inexperience at the position as well as his alleged lack of arm strength and aggressiveness make Langland believe he will be a bad fit at guard.
With Radio City Music Hall unavailable for the 2015 NFL Draft, other cities aside from New York are getting excited at the prospect of hosting the draft either next year or down the road. With Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York (at Madison Square Garden) fighting to host the draft, Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post Dispatch reports that the Rams are getting into the mix as well. Rams executive vice president Kevin Demoff and President of the St. Louis Sports Committee Frank Viverito have discussed a willingness to bring the Draft to St. Louis. “We’ve had conversation about what it would take, and would be interested if the NFL winds up doing this on a long-term basis,” Demoff said. While the 2015 NFL Draft might not be a possibility, the city is open to the possibility of obtaining a future NFL Draft.
Eagles‘ kicker Alex Henery struggled in 2013, including a missed field goal and short kickoffs in a playoff loss to the Saints. Even still, he is not worried about his job security, writes Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer. “Competition can always make you better, but it’s not like I’m worried about it,” Henery said recently. “I’m here to do my thing and do it the best I can. . . . I’m a perfectionist. That’s what drives me.”

Extra Points: Clowney, Mathieu, Slay, Carrington, Kalil, Turner

June 14th, 2014 at 1:00pm CST by Matt Feminis

Texans No. 1 overall pick Jadeveon Clowney, who was bothered by a groin injury, underwent surgery to repair a sports hernia, relays Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle. Clowney is expected to be ready for training camp.
The Cardinals are taking a patient approach with defensive back Tyran Mathieu and nose tackle Alameda Ta’amu, both of whom are recovering from torn ACL injuries, writes NFL.com’s Dan Hanzus. “I had Oct. 1, or after the (bye week) as the target date for me personally,” says head coach Bruce Arians. “If they do something better than that, God bless ’em.” The Cardinals’ bye comes in Week 4 before a road game at Denver.
Detroit Free Press columnist Drew Sharp says the Lions were wise not to “cave to public pressure” and reach for a cornerback in the first round because he expects 2013 second-rounder Darius Slay to make strides in year two. That said, in light of Chris Houston‘s release, Sharp says Slay must be the Lions’ most improved defensive player in 2014. Meanwhile, in a rundown of the team’s cornerbacks, Sharp’s colleague Dave Birkett calls Slay a work in progress, “But he’s long and athletic and after struggling with zone concepts will be a better fit in Teryl Austin’s new defense.”
Could Alex Carrington be an under-the-radar steal for the Rams? St. Louis Post-Dispatch writer Joe Lyons says, the 26-year-old, 6-5, 300-pound defensive lineman “seemed to be on the verge of a breakout season with the Buffalo Bills last year when a torn quadriceps tendon ended his campaign after just three games.” In fact, entering last season, Carrington was viewed by Pro Football Focus as a “secret superstar,” calling him “one of the league’s most promising young pass-rushing DTs.”
A right knee injury was to blame for Vikings tackle Matt Kalil‘s sophomore dropoff, writes Chris Tomasson in the Pioneer Press.
“Other than being 20, there’s not much negative you can say” about Panthers third-round guard Trai Turner, says ESPN’s David Newton.
The contracts of the NFL’s highest-paid centers – Maurkice Pouncey, Alex Mack and Ryan Kalil – were examined by OverTheCap.com’s Jason Fitzgerald, who says annual value can be misleading.