Former Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Darius Slay was reportedly released by the Pittsburgh Steelers, so, it’s time for the age-old question: should the Birds bring him back to Philly?
First, it should be noted that all NFL players are subject to waivers after the trade deadline. The waiver wire order reflects the current 2026 NFL Draft order, where the Eagles rank 22nd. So, they’d need 21 teams to pass up on claiming Slay before having a chance at him.
Will that happen? I’m not so sure. The remainder of his 2025 salary ($348,611) is very affordable. And a cornerback-needy team like the Detroit Lions, who originally drafted Slay, seem like a natural fit.
While Slay can’t officially pick his new team until he passes through waivers unclaimed, he could threaten to retire if he’s claimed by a team he doesn’t want to play for. I’m guessing he’s not suiting up for the Tennessee Titans, for example.
Can Slay still play well? That’s fair to wonder. Cornerback is typically a young man’s game and the soon-to-be 35-year-old has allowed a 108.0 passer rating when targeted this season, according to Pro Football Reference. He was a healthy scratch in the Steelers’ most recent game.
The guess here is the Eagles will have some level of interest in signing him. If they were willing to give up some draft capital for Jaire Alexander, who had played his way out of playing time with the Baltimore Ravens, wouldn’t they want to maybe take a chance on bringing Slay back to Philly? Vic Fangio probably trusts him to play more than he does Kelee Ringo right now. Not so sure that he’s coming in to start over Adoree’ Jackson, however.
We’ll soon see what Slay’s fate holds. What say you?
