A familiar face could be an option for the Detroit Lions as they look to improve their cornerback situation this offseason. The team may have a huge need at the position when Carlton Davis enters free agency. If he leaves, the team may have to rely largely on the two cornerbacks they drafted last season. However, it appears that a guy they drafted more than ten years ago is willing to help them address that problem.
Darius Slay, the Philadelphia Eagles’ cornerback, is expected to be cut this summer as he enters the final year of his $42 million contract. If that were to happen, it appears that the Lions would be his first choice for his next team. During an appearance on “The St. Brown Podcast” on February 19, Slay stated that he would absolutely like to play one more season in the NFL, preferably with the Eagles or Lions.
Slay went on: “For sure the two spots I would love to always be at is Philly or Detroit.” Slay had a fantastic career with the Lions after being picked 36th overall in 2013. During his seven seasons with the team, he made the Pro Bowl three times and was named All-Pro. He also tied for the league’s lead in interceptions once.
During that time, he broke up 104 passes, had 19 interceptions, and made 347 total tackles. He’s been with the Eagles for the previous five seasons and was a key member of their championship team this season. In his 12th NFL season, Slay restricted opposing quarterbacks to a 54.7% completion rate and 6.1 yards per pass attempt when they threw his way.
At 34 years old, there will undoubtedly be fears that Slay is on the decline, but he might be a valuable addition to a Lions cornerback room that is currently full of unknowns. If the Lions want to take their defence to the next level, they’ll need to make a bigger move at the position, but a six-time Pro Bowler who just contributed to a Super Bowl-winning team appears to be a solid fit.
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