Darius Slay’s tenure with the Philadelphia Eagles has come to an end.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Eagles are releasing Darius Slay 22 days after he helped them to a Super Bowl 59 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. Slay will be designated as a post-June 1 release in a move that opens up $4.3 million in cap space, per Schefter.
In what will go down as one of the best moves of his tenure, Eagles GM Howie Roseman acquired the 34-year-old Slay in a 2020 blockbuster trade with the Detroit Lions. Philly only had to pay third and fifth-round picks to land “Big Play Slay”, who then signed a three-year extension worth $50 million.
Slay earned three Pro Bowl nods as an Eagle (2021, 2022 and 2023) and helped them to four playoff berths, two NFC Championships and a Super Bowl 59 triumph. The six-time Pro Bowler racked up 56 pass defenses and nine interceptions in his five years with the organization.
Not only was Slay expendable because of Philly’s cap situation, but rookie cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean emerged as superstars in Vic Fangio’s defense. Throw in the presence of do-it-all safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, and the Eagles had good reason to move on from the future Hall of Famer.But Slay’s market in free agency should be robust, given his decent production and career body of work. He finished with a solid 68.9 coverage grade at Pro Football Focus for the 2024 season, ranking 52nd among 223 corners.
Which Teams Should Pursue Darius Slay In Free Agency?
Contenders that could use a veteran leader and playmaker like Slay include the Buffalo Bills, Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens, Denver Broncos, Green Bay Packers (especially with Jaire Alexander on his way out), Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers.
