After Failing to Reach a Contract Agreement, the Philadelphia Eagles are Forced to Part Ways with Darius Slay - Here are the Teams that Could Benefit from Adding the Elite Cornerback to their Roster.
On Tuesday, the Eagles made an important move by re-signing James Bradberry, a free agent cornerback, for three years, bolstering their Super Bowl secondary. However, the team is also losing another key player in their secondary, Darius Slay, who will be released ahead of free agency, according to ESPN.
Slay had been given permission to look for a trade while negotiating a possible contract extension with Philadelphia, but those discussions did not yield positive results. On Wednesday, Slay bid a cordial farewell to Philly on Twitter, expressing gratitude and excitement for what's to come next.
"Nothing but love, Philly!" he tweeted. "Let's see where we heading next." The start of free agency was just hours away.
After being traded from the Lions before the 2020 season, Slay became the Eagles' top cornerback, earning five Pro Bowl selections and registering seven interceptions and 31 pass deflections during his three-year stint with the team. Although he signed a three-year, $50 million extension upon arrival, Slay's $26 million salary for 2023 made him a potential salary cap casualty, resulting in his release. The Eagles will save $17.5 million this year with his post-June 1 designation, according to NFL Media.
With Slay's departure, the Eagles are likely in the market for another experienced cornerback, with Zech McPhearson, a former fourth-round pick, as a potential starting option alongside Bradberry.
As for Slay, there are a few teams that could use his services:
Atlanta Falcons
Slay is from Georgia, and Atlanta still has a need for starting corner help opposite A.J. Terrell. The Falcons are committed to rebuilding the secondary after paying big bucks to land Bengals safety Jessie Bates III, and they've still got close to $40M in available salary cap space.
Arizona Cardinals
After losing Byron Murphy in free agency, the Cards are in the market for proven corner help. They've also got more than $30M in available cap space. Most importantly, new head coach Jonathan Gannon directly oversaw Slay as the Eagles' defensive coordinator from 2021-22.
After losing Byron Murphy in free agency, the Cards are in the market for proven corner help. They've also got more than $30M in available cap space. Most importantly, new head coach Jonathan Gannon directly oversaw Slay as the Eagles' defensive coordinator from 2021-22.
Jacksonville Jaguars
They aren't flush with cap space but could free up enough money to make it work, especially considering they've said farewell to both Shaquill Griffin and Tre Herndon, the latter of whom is drawing interest from around the NFL in free agency. Old friend Doug Pederson, the Eagles' head coach when Slay first landed in Philly, would embrace the personality for his secondary.
Washington Commanders
After watching the Eagles successfully poach an ex-NFC East rival for corner help (i.e. James Bradberry), Ron Rivera and Co. could value a veteran mentor/upgrade in their own secondary. With more than $16M in cap space, they could also offer Slay the chance to go at his old squad twice a year.
After watching the Eagles successfully poach an ex-NFC East rival for corner help (i.e. James Bradberry), Ron Rivera and Co. could value a veteran mentor/upgrade in their own secondary. With more than $16M in cap space, they could also offer Slay the chance to go at his old squad twice a year.
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