Is former Lion Darius Slay a future Lion? The veteran cornerback is planning to play for one more year, and hopes to end his career in either Philadelphia or Detroit.
Slay is under contract with the Eagles through next season with a cap hit of $13.7 million, but Philadelphia could let him go this offseason as its plots its future and prepares to extend several talented young players from a Super Bowl-winning team.
"I got one more (year) left (on my deal), but you know how that work, you know what I’m saying?" Slay said this week on the St. Brown podcast. "So, whatever they want to do, I might re-sign back, hopefully. If I ain’t, then we’ll see what we doing, because I do want to play one more year for sure."
Slay said he considers Detroit his "second home" after spending the first seven years of his career here and has "nothing but love" for the city. When he's not playing them, he still roots for the Lions to win.
The Lions could be seeking a veteran corner this offseason, if they can't bring back Carlton Davis III. When Amon-Ra St. Brown suggested that Slay should reunite with his first team, Slay said, "If it is, it is. If it ain’t, it ain’t, but for sure, the two spots I would love to always be at is either Philly or Detroit, the main ones I would love to be at."
Slay was 22 when he arrived in Detroit. He's now 34 and a father to three. He's also the NFL's active leader in passes defended (160) and ranks third among active cornerbacks in interceptions (28).
And he's still playing at a high level. Slay allowed a completion rate of 50 percent and a passer rating of 78.3 on throws in coverage this season, per Pro Football Focus.
If the opportunity lines up, maybe he'll finish his career where it started.