Former Philadelphia Eagles and Detroit Lions cornerback Darius Slay was released on Tuesday. After signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers during the offseason, the two sides did not work out. Slay was a healthy scratch on Sunday’s game against the Buffalo Bills, and his release was confirmed two days later.
The Steelers signed Asante Samuel Jr. to their practice squad before Week 13 and allowed him to prove his value. After a positive performance, the Steelers decided to sign Samuel to the active roster, releasing the veteran Slay in turn. He’ll be subject to waivers and, if he clears, he can sign with any team as a free agent.
Emmanuel Acho Predicts Eagles To Re-Sign Darius Slay Following Steelers Release
Slay is 34 and isn’t having his best season. Unless a contender desperately needs to add depth to the cornerback position, no team will look to sign him. His advanced age makes him a short-term fix at the position who could provide value in the playoffs.
Curiously, two of the teams that might be interested in acquiring his services are his former two teams. Both the Detroit Lions and the Philadelphia Eagles have cornerback needs for different reasons, and Slay would be helpful to close the season. He won the Super Bowl in February with the Eagles.
Former linebacker Emmanuel Acho, who currently works as an analyst, believes that the veteran will ultimately return to Philadelphia, which released him due to salary cap reasons in March.
Acho shared a news by ESPN’s Adam Schefter on his X account and wrote, “This will be interesting, the Eagles and Lions could both use him. No wrong answer, my money is on Philly.”
This will be interesting, the Eagles and Lions could both use him. No wrong answer, my money is on Philly. https://t.co/zmCJ7615Ev
— Emmanuel Acho (@EmmanuelAcho) December 2, 2025
Slay’s addition would actually be valuable for the Eagles. They’ve been struggling with the cornerback position in 2025. Despite the emergence of Quinyon Mitchell as their No. 1 cornerback, both Adoree Jackson and Kelee Ringo have struggled as the No. 2 corner.
Slay could come on short notice and improve the position. He already knows the system, having played with Vic Fangio in 2024. Even though he’s not in the best form of his career, he’s likely to be an upgrade in a defense that has suffered in the first three months.
The Eagles currently have the No. 10 defense in our PFSN Defense Impact Metric. They were considered to have the best defense in 2024 and went on to win the Super Bowl. With the trade deadline already closed, signing Slay as a free agent for a playoff run could be an impactful decision.