Despite reports that the Philadelphia Eagles were set to release Darius Slay, the Pro Bowl cornerback indicated on social media that he will remain with the team. After news broke that the Eagles were ready to cut him, Slay tweeted “Nothing but love Philly!! Lets see where we heading next.” However, he followed up later that night with “Back like I never left!!! Run it back” and an eagle emoji.
The drama unfolded after the Eagles failed to find a trade partner for Slay, who has earned Pro Bowl honors in two of his three seasons in Philadelphia. Last week, the Eagles gave Slay’s agent permission to seek a trade, but no deal materialized.
The Eagles made some notable moves this week, including bringing back All-Pro cornerback James Bradberry on a three-year deal worth $38 million, with $20 million guaranteed. They also re-signed defensive tackle Fletcher Cox to a one-year, $10 million deal.
Slay is set to enter the final season of a three-year, $50 million deal signed in March 2020. He is due a base salary of $17 million with a cap hit of $26.1 million in 2023, according to Spotrac.
The 32-year-old cornerback played in all 17 games in 2022 and recorded 14 passes defensed and three interceptions. He was a key member of the Eagles’ defense, which led the league in pass defense, allowing only 179.8 yards per game. In the postseason, Slay added 12 tackles for the NFC champs, who lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII.
Also read | Aaron Rodgers makes surprise move, plans to leave Green Bay for New York Jets
With 26 interceptions and 513 tackles in 151 games (141 starts) split between the Detroit Lions and the Eagles, Slay has proven to be a valuable asset to any team. Despite the trade rumors and speculation, Slay’s tweet shows he is ready to continue making an impact in Philadelphia.
