The Philadelphia Eagles are already making big offseason moves after winning Super Bowl LIX, but they aren’t in the additions department just yet.
Instead, veteran cornerback Darius Slay is getting released after five seasons with the organization.
Slay, a six-time Pro Bowl cornerback, will be a post-June 1 cut, which saves the Eagles $4.3 million against their salary cap to make other moves, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
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The Eagles’ roster is stacked, but GM Howie Roseman has been known to make some big splashes in recent offseasons, and creating space on his cap is crucial in doing so. One mustn’t forget every NFL Draft class also requires a good amount of cap space.
The Eagles have just over $20 million heading into this month, and key players like linebacker Zach Baun, defensive end Josh Sweat and offensive guard Mekhi Becton are set for free agency.
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“As the cap gets tighter, as all our expensive players start becoming expensive, you have to go with young players,” Roseman said this past month, per ESPN.
So, Slay, 34, is a casualty despite his defensive prowess in the secondary. The Eagles, though, could afford to let him go considering their rookie tandem of Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean played a vital role in winning the Lombardi Trophy. They project to be the team’s top cornerbacks for years to come on their rookie deals.
Slay, however, was a defensive captain for this Eagles locker room, playing a large role in senior leadership as well as helping the team be the No. 1 defense in the pass game last season.
In 14 games, Slay had 13 passes defended, 49 tackles, one forced fumble, as well as a fumble recovery.
According to CBS Sports, Slay wants to play one more year, and that usually means going to a contender to vie for another Super Bowl ring.
One team to look out for is the Detroit Lions, the squad Slay started his career with. They need cornerback help, and they’re expected to look for it in all sectors this offseason, including free agency, where Slay is headed.
Slay totaled 347 tackles and 104 passes defended over seven seasons with the Lions. From 2017-19, he made three straight Pro Bowls and was named first team All-Pro in 2017 after leading the league with eight interceptions and 26 passes defended.
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