Just weeks after securing their first Super Bowl victory, the Philadelphia Eagles have made a bold roster move, cutting veteran cornerback Darius Slay.
Slay, 34, had one year left on his contract and had previously expressed his desire to finish his deal with the Eagles. Speaking on the St. Brown Podcast, the six-time Pro Bowler hinted at hopes of returning but acknowledged the uncertainty of his future.
“I’ve got one more left (on my contract), but you know how that works. Whatever they want to do, I might re-sign back, hopefully. If I ain’t, we’ll see what I’m doing because I do want to play one more year, for sure,” Slay said.
Despite his intentions, Philadelphia opted to move on, largely due to the emergence of young cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean. Their rapid development made Slay an expendable asset in a team looking to balance talent and salary cap constraints.
Since joining the Eagles in a trade from the Detroit Lions in 2020, Slay recorded nine interceptions, 56 pass deflections, and 272 tackles over five seasons. His experience played a crucial role in Philadelphia’s championship run, but with key free agents like Zack Baun, Josh Sweat, and Milton Williams set to hit the market, the Eagles needed to create cap flexibility.
Philadelphia will designate Slay as a post-June 1 cut, freeing up an additional $4.3 million in cap space. However, they must carry his $13.8 million cap hit until that date. The decision signals what could be the first of several tough choices for the Eagles as they aim to sustain their dominance in the NFL.
Slay has expressed openness to returning to Detroit, where he spent the first seven seasons of his career. As one of the league’s most experienced defensive backs, he will likely draw interest from multiple teams in need of veteran leadership in the secondary.
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