The writing was on the wall for Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Darius Slay and now we know for sure what the fate of the Super Bowl champion, NFL All-Pro and 6-time Pro Bowler will be.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on March 3 that the Eagles will designate Slay as a post-June 1 release in order to save an estimated $4.3 million in salary cap space.
“Eagles are releasing six-time Pro-Bowl CB Darius Slay, per sources,” Schefter wrote on his official X account. “If he is designated a post-June 1 release, the Eagles will save $4.3 million against the cap.”
It’s hard to envision Slay, 34 years old, staying unemployed for very long if he wants to continue playing. He could very well end up on another Super Bowl contender sooner than later — Slay spent the first 7 seasons of his career with the Detroit Lions, who selected him out of Mississippi State in the second round (No. 36 overall) of the 2013 NFL draft.
Slay Seemed Like Player in Prime During NFL Playoffs
Slay didn’t seem like a player toward the end of his career during the Eagles’ dominant run to a blowout win over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX, especially when he racked up 6 tackles and 3 pass deflections in a 28-22 win over the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Divisional Round.
Slay finished the postseason with 14 tackles, 5 pass deflections and 1 interception.
Even with that type of production, Bleacher Report predicted Slay might be on the chopping block in the offseason because he was owed $16 million in salary in 2025, making him a prime candidate to be a salary cap casualty.
From Bleacher Report: “Philadelphia now has a young core in place with Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean. Both have put together strong rookie seasons and will allow the Eagles to have a relatively cheap secondary for the next few seasons … The Eagles could clear $4.3 million by cutting (Slay) after June 1. It’s not a ton of money, and they’d be losing a talented player, but it’s one of the few moves they have in their arsenal.”
Slay One of NFL’s Elite Cornerbacks Since 2010s
After earning All-SEC honors at Mississippi State in 2012, Slay was a second round pick (No. 36 overall) by the Detroit Lions in the 2013 NFL draft, where he became a full time starter in his second season and earned his lone NFL All-Pro nod and first Pro Bowl selection in 2017 when he led the NFL with 8 interceptions.
Slay was traded from the Eagles to the Lions in March 2020 and signed a 3-year, $50 million contract extension the same day he was traded. He re-upped with the Eagles on a 2-year, $42 million contract extension in March 2023.
For all the wear and tear Slay has put his body through, he’s been incredibly durable. He’s never played less than 12 games in a season, with 177 career regular-season games and 167 starts. Slay’s 160 career pass deflections are tops among active NFL players and he also has 28 career interceptions and 5 career defensive touchdowns.
Another number to keep in mind with Slay is his $110.1 million in career earnings. Which means there’s also a good possibility he could just retire following a Super Bowl win.
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