The Philadelphia Eagles are reportedly cutting Darius Slay, who has said previously that he’d be interested in a Lions reunion.
As expected, the Philadelphia Eagles are reportedly releasing veteran cornerback Darius Slay ahead the NFL’s new league year—which starts on March 12. Per Adam Schefter, it will be designated as a post-June 1 release, which means the $22.7 million in dead cap from the move will be split between 2025 ($9.4 million) and 2026 ($13.3 million).
Why do we care? Well, because Slay recently said on the “St. Brown Brothers” podcast that there are two teams he wants to play for in 2025 , which he views as the likely last year of his NFL career.
“The two spots I would love to always be at is either Philly or Detroit. Those are the main two. The main ones I’d love to be at,” Slay said.
Slay was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft . He proceeded to spend the next seven seasons in Detroit, racking up three Pro Bowls along the way and 19 interceptions. But after a rift with then head coach Matt Patricia, the Lions traded Slay away to the Eagles for a third and fifth-round pick.
This season, the Lions face some interesting decisions at the cornerback position. They have four players headed toward free agency: Carlton Davis, Kindle Vildor, Khalil Dorsey, and Emmanuel Moseley. That leaves just four cornerbacks currently signed to the roster: Terrion Arnold, Amik Robertson, Ennis Rakestraw, and Stantley Thomas-Oliver.
Davis is the biggest decision the Lions have to make, as the 28-year-old cornerback is likely due for a significant payday.
With a pretty significant need for depth and the player open to a return, could a Darius Slay reunion be on the way for Detroit? Slay just turned 34 years old, and is still producing at a strong level. He has tallied at least 13 passes defended in each of the last three seasons, and finished last season with a 73.3 PFF grade (including playoffs).