In Detroit, the Lions have a need at cornerback. In Philadelphia, Darius Slay is available via trade. Is the stage set for a reunion?
With Slay seeking an extension entering the final season of his contract, the Eagles have granted him permission to seek a trade, according to ESPN. It should be noted, Slay hasn't requested a trade. The Eagles have simply told him and his agent to see what other teams might be willing to pay him.
The 32-year-old, who was shipped from Detroit to Philadelphia three years ago due to beef with then-Lions head coach Matt Patricia, is coming off his fifth Pro Bowl season and leads the NFL in passes defended over the last decade. He has a non-guaranteed $17 million base salary in 2023, with a cap hit of $26.1 million.
“He wants guaranteed money beyond this year," Ian Rapoport said Friday on the Pat McAfee Show. "He’s 32, he is still great. You’d almost never give a corner money at 32, but he defies logic, so he wants more money. So, he’s able to go out and see what his market is, see if anybody will trade for him or see if the Eagles go, ‘You know what, you’re right about your market, we’re actually just going to give you the money, instead of someone else, and we’ll keep everyone together.”
Slay and the Eagles would prefer to work something out. And this doesn't appear to stem from the report that the Eagles were considering Patricia as their new linebackers coach, an idea to which Slay publicly objected last week. The club has since filled that role with a different coach and Slay later confirmed that he wants to stay in Philly, provided he gets an extension.
“I love the Eagles. They took another chance on me trading for me, and I panned out very well of course. But yeah, I love that money, so of course I’m going to be talking about it this offseason. That’s everyone, that’s what we all do when we’ve got one year left on our deal. We try to get the extension because it makes the cap low and then you get to start building," Slay told the Montgomery & Co. podcast.
If Slay and the Eagles come to an agreement, there's nothing else to see here. But if they remain at an impasse, the Lions could certainly be a team to watch. The old regime is gone, the new regime is on the rise and Slay still has a big place in his heart for Detroit, where he spent the first seven years of his career. Brad Holmes and the Lions have the cap space to be aggressive this offseason and Slay would fill the team's most glaring need.
And where Patricia was a Bill Belichick knock-off who tried to mute Slay's free-spirited personality, no one is more authentic than Dan Campbell, who wants his players to be themselves.
The Lions could make serious noise next season with a better defense. Slay would be a serious upgrade at corner. He may well stay in Philly, but there's at least a path for him to return to Detroit.