After finishing the regular season with a 14-3 record and breezing past the Green Bay Packers, Los Angeles Rams, and Washington Commanders in the playoffs, the Philadelphia Eagles are heading to Super Bowl LIX. This will be their third appearance in the big game in the last eight seasons and their second matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs. While head coach Nick Sirianni deserves recognition for the team’s success, general manager Howie Roseman also deserves significant credit for building one of the NFL’s most talented rosters. However, every offseason brings tough roster decisions, and in a recent ESPN article, Bill Barnwell highlighted a few Eagles players who might be at risk of being cut. One of those players is cornerback James Bradberry, who is “likely” to be released after June 1. But an even bigger surprise is veteran cornerback Darius Slay, who also made the list.
Barnwell clarified that Slay’s potential departure has nothing to do with his performance. In his 12th NFL season, Slay is still playing at a high level and remains “good enough to start.” However, with rookies Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean showing promise, Barnwell speculates that the Eagles might prefer to give those two budding stars full-time starting roles in 2025, potentially pushing DeJean ahead of Slay in the team’s cornerback rotation.
In addition, Barnwell pointed out that Slay is due a $16.1 million bonus before the 2025 season begins, and this could be a factor in the team’s decision-making. Roseman may either restructure Slay’s contract or part ways with him to avoid paying that substantial amount. Slay, who was selected in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft from Mississippi State, played seven seasons with the Detroit Lions before being traded to the Eagles before the 2020 season. The 6-foot, 190-pound cornerback has been a first-team All-Pro and a six-time Pro Bowler. This season, he has recorded 49 tackles, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and 13 passes defended.
