It’s been a whirlwind 48 hours for Darius Slay. A day after being cut loose by the Pittsburgh Steelers, the veteran cornerback was claimed off waivers by the Buffalo Bills. But instead of joining a Super Bowl contender, Slay won’t be reporting to Buffalo as he is unsure if he wants to continue playing.
“Slay is honored that a first-class organization like the Bills claimed him, but he is going to take some time away from football right now and decide in the next few days if he wants to keep playing,” Slay’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, told ESPN.
A six-time Pro Bowler, Slay spent his first seven seasons with the Lions and five more seasons with the Eagles before signing a one-year deal with the Steelers this past offseason. Slay and the Steelers amicably parted ways after he was a healthy scratch during last week’s loss to Buffalo.
There were rumblings that the Eagles were interested in a possible reunion if Slay had cleared waivers, but it never got to that point as the Bills decided to bring in the 13-year veteran.
Slay, who will turn 35 on Jan. 1, was slated to join a 8-4 Bills team that is currently 2.5 games behind the New England Patriots in the AFC East standings. Buffalo is currently the No. 7 seed in the AFC playoff picture.
The Bills’ secondary currently includes fellow veterans Christian Benford, Jordan Poyer, Cole Bishop, Tre’Davious White, Taron Johnson, and rookie first-round pick Maxwell Hairston. Through 12 games, the Bills rank 13th in the NFL in points allowed, first in passing yards allowed, 30th in rushing yards allowed, 13th in third down efficiency and 15th in red zone efficiency.
Whenever he chooses to retire, Slay will be remembered as one of the better cornerbacks of his era. A former second-round pick, Slay earned six Pro Bowl nods from 2017-23. He led the NFL with eight interceptions in 2017 and a league-high two fumble returns for scores in 2021.
Slay, who including the playoffs has played in 198 games in the NFL, helped the Eagles capture an NFC title in 2022 and a Super Bowl title in 2024. He has 28 career interceptions, 70 passes defensed, 655 tackles and five defensive touchdowns.
