Coming off a Super Bowl trip, the Philadelphia Eagles now have to manage the contract expectations that often come with team success. With defenders James Bradberry, Javon Hargrave, Fletcher Cox, and C.J. Gardner-Johnson hitting NFL free agency, general manager Howie Roseman has his work cut out for him. Balancing spending long-term with winning now will prove difficult.
One of the big personnel moves he could make to help open cap space is trading cornerback Darius Slay. Slay, 32, is entering the final year of his contract and is set to make $17 million in base salary. According to ESPN’s Dianna Russini, Slay did not request a trade, but he’s been given permission to seek one.
We’ll dive into this unique situation below, including Slay’s contract value and three potential landing spots if he is traded.
Darius Slay’s Contract Value and Landing Spots
At face value, Slay’s age and $26 million cap number would seem to be fueling Philadelphia’s motivation to consider a deal. If traded, the Eagles would save less than $4 million in cap space and incur a massive $22 million dead cap hit. It’s not a move that helps move the needle with cap space.
Though the Eagles say they’re “hopeful” he can stay with the team, it’s odd to give him permission to look for a trade when he didn’t ask out. Slay previously said, “Of course, I want an extension with the Eagles … But yeah, I love that money”.
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The lack of real cap savings is notable, so the Eagles must be more interested in getting an asset in return or avoiding a holdout. Though Slay is aging, a new contract could see him averaging at least the $16.6 million mark he had over his previous deal. It’s not surprising the Eagles wouldn’t want to have that commitment to an older cornerback.
Three Teams That Should Trade for Darius Slay
Bengals Add Star Power With Slay
The Bengals were able to get the most they possibly could out of the Eli Apple experience, developing a defense that mitigated his weaknesses. But with Apple hitting free agency, the Bengals could replace him with Slay and pair him with Chidobe Awuzie. Awuzie is underrated in the public’s eye because he doesn’t force turnovers at a high rate.
The difference between Slay and Apple is notable but maybe not as large as expected, considering the name recognition. Slay ranked 33rd in target separation, 55th in yards allowed, 40th in yards per reception allowed, and 38th in passer rating allowed. But Slay has been a ball magnet throughout his career, totaling 133 pass deflections and 26 interceptions, compared to Apple’s 51 breakups and five INTs.
There’s certainly a price difference between the two. Apple only earned $3.5 million in 2022, and Slay’s next deal could be more than $15 million annually. Cincinnati, who has to account for extensions for Joe Burrow and Tee Higgins in coming years, may be unwilling to spend on a veteran CB.
The benefit would be having two near-elite cover corners for defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo. We saw Apple get tortured when it mattered most over the last two playoffs, and unless this team is willing to throw a rookie into a starting role, there’s a major incentive in signing a sure thing in Slay.
Lions Reunite With ‘Big Play Slay’
Could the Lions and Slay see a reunion? Considering Slay seemingly only held a grudge against former head coach Matt Patricia, saying he “lost all respect” for the coach and not the franchise, it could be possible.
For the Lions to get into the playoffs in 2023, they can’t ignore the weakness of their defense. The unit was 28th in scoring and 32nd in yards allowed. Though young cornerbacks Jeff Okudah and Jerry Jacobs showed growth at various points of the season, Okudah was also benched toward the end of the year, and Jacobs has a limited résumé.
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Adding Slay to the mix would elevate the floor of a unit that has struggled with injuries and consistency. The Lions would have three corners that allowed less than 60% of targets to be completed, with Slay at 58.2%. This would be money well spent, considering the bulk of Detroit’s veteran spending has been on the offensive side in recent years.
A three-man rotation led by Slay would be complemented by young but serviceable safeties in DeShon Elliott and Kerby Joseph. Adding one stud CB suddenly shores up the back end and will allow the team to focus on improving the front seven in the draft.
Detroit has the right infrastructure to get the most out of Slay, plus Jacobs and Okudah are theoretically versatile enough to slide into the slot.
Raiders Get Short-Term Boost With Slay
The Raiders tried to get by with two corners in their mid-20s last year — Amik Robertson and Rock Ya-Sin –, but neither was particularly effective. Both allowed 60.9% of passes to be completed, and Sam Webb and Nate Hobbs were even worse. This unit needs to add more competence to the position in order to make a playoff run in 2023.
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Slay is certainly that. His cap hit would be more palatable if the team doesn’t get involved in the Aaron Rodgers sweepstakes, which seems to be the direction things are heading as the Jets continue to court him exclusively.
With the fourth-most cap space in the league, the Raiders can add Slay, reduce his cap hit with an extension, and still add a veteran quarterback like Jimmy Garoppolo or opt to build around a first-round draft pick.
