The Jacksonville Jaguars must bolster the cornerback position this offseason. They'll have no shortage of options in free agency to get it done. Already, the Jags have been linked to Carlton Davis and Byron Murphy, two of the top players expected to be available in the open market. That said, they'll have alternatives beyond those two. In fact, the Philadelphia Eagles just made another one available.
Philly announced that it's released Darius Slay less than a week away from free agency. The veteran corner signed with the Eagles in 2021 after spending his first seven NFL seasons with the Detroit Lions. He'll be designated as a June 1 cut, which will free up $4.3 million in space with $13.8 million in dead money.
Slay made it clear not long ago that he would like to play for either Philadelphia or the Lions in 2025.
Then again, the fact that Slay will be available in free agency will incentivize teams to kick the tires on him. A second-round pick in 2013, he's played at a high level the past five years, giving up more than three touchdowns just once while recording nine interceptions in that span. On top of that, he's had an average of less than 12.0 yards per catch. Simply put, the six-time Pro Bowl nod is still a dependable 12 years into his NFL career.
NFL reporter Derrick Gunn reports that a return to Philly shouldn't be ruled out, but Slay's asking price currently exceeds its budget. Maybe he will eventually reduce it, but there's an equal chance he won't if he garners enough interest in the open market.
According to what I'm being told don't completely rule out Slay returning to the eagles... right now his asking price is a little steep ... but the eagles are hoping he plays his final NFL season in 2025 in eagles green.
— Derrick Gunn (@RealDGunn) March 4, 2025
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Would it make sense for the Jaguars to pursue Darius Slay?
The Jaguars signed Ronald Darby last offseason thinking he would be a capable replacement for Darious Williams, who was released in a cap-saving move. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case.
Darby looked one step slower in 2024 and was eventually benched near the end of the year. He's expected to be cap casualty. Given his struggles, the Jaguars may hesitate to roll with an older cornerback. Granted, Slay hasn't shown signs of slowing down, but there will be plenty of younger options available in the open market. The downside is that most of them will probably be more expensive.
That said, the Jags could kick the tires on Slay if they miss out on either Byron Murphy or Carlton Davis. The issue would be that he would only be a short-term fix at the position, and the team's brass would probably need to add another cornerback in the draft this year or next.
It's also worth noting that Slay may not want to play for other teams aside from the Lions or Philadelphia. Either way, it shouldn't deter the Jags from doing due diligence. After all, they must weigh all their options and avoid boxing themselves in a corner in case their Plan A in free agency doesn't work.