On Wednesday, it seemed like the Philadelphia Eagles might be losing their top cornerback. Darius Slay, a five-time Pro Bowler, had been given permission to explore trade options while negotiating a possible contract extension with the Eagles. Reports surfaced that he was on the verge of being released, but it turns out that never happened. And now, there’s been a significant shift in the situation.
According to CBS Sports NFL Insider Josina Anderson, the Philadelphia Eagles were finding it difficult to part ways with Darius Slay and were keen on keeping him in their squad. ESPN also confirmed the news, reporting that Slay was expected to remain with the Eagles. “It’s not final, but that’s the way it is looking right now,” said a source to ESPN.
According to one source who spoke with ESPN, while it’s not official, it seems highly likely that Darius Slay will be staying with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Shortly after the news of the Eagles’ desire to keep him broke, Darius Slay took to Twitter to announce that he would indeed be staying with the team, much to the delight of fans in the City of Brotherly Love.
On Tuesday, the Philadelphia Eagles re-signed free agent cornerback James Bradberry to a three-year contract, securing a crucial member of their Super Bowl secondary. And just a day later, they managed to retain the services of their No. 1 cornerback, Darius Slay. Given these developments, it’s highly likely that the Eagles are working on a new deal with Slay to keep him in Philly for the foreseeable future.
Darius Slay has been an integral part of the Philadelphia Eagles’ defense ever since his trade from the Lions before the 2020 season. The five-time Pro Bowler has been their top cornerback for the past three seasons, amassing seven interceptions and 31 pass deflections during his tenure with the team. Although he had signed a three-year, $50 million extension with the Eagles, his high salary of over $26M in 2023 made him a potential cap casualty. However, the team has now found a way to keep him on board, despite reports of his release. According to NFL Media, his release would have saved the team $17.5M this year, with Slay being designated a post-June 1 cut. It remains to be seen whether a new deal will be struck between Slay and the Eagles.
