After five years, nine interceptions, three Pro Bowls, and a Super Bowl ring, star CB Darius Slay and the Philadelphia Eagles parted ways earlier this week. The 34-year-old will now be looking to join another Super Bowl contender, and he might have found one within the division: the Washington Commanders, but there is a big if attached.
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The Commanders were the Cinderella story of the 2024 NFL season, going from 4-13 in 2023 to 12-5 with a trip to the NFC Championship Game. Rookie QB Jayden Daniels exceeded all expectations, and the team’s early work this offseason (including acquiring Deebo Samuel for peanuts) hints that the team is going for it in 2025.
That situation would be right up Slay’s alley. And, despite the classic NFC East animosity shared between the Eagles and Commanders and their fans, Slay wasn’t afraid to voice how open he was to joining the division rivals.
The CB would fit pretty well with the Commanders’ secondary unit. They had the 3rd-best pass defense in football this past season after finishing with the worst in 2023.
YouTube streamer and Commanders fan Janky Rondo ran into Slay while playing Grand Theft Auto online. “You can come in with the Commanders, I’m just saying,” Rondo suggested during their interaction.
And Slay replied he would have just one condition for joining the enemy. “Ay, ay now you know if the price is right now, I don’t mind. If the price is right,” he said, laughing.
“I love it,” the YouTuber exclaimed in excitement, possibly thinking about how Slay’s presence would bolster the Commanders.
Darius Slay on potentially coming to the #Commanders:
“If the price is right, I don’t mind…”
(:@Taewoppp / @JankyRondo) pic.twitter.com/ET6zPuuAO6
— brandon (@JayDanielsMVP) March 6, 2025
Washington’s five starting DBs are all 28 years old or younger. That’s a good six years or more younger than Slay. He could easily slide into a starting or supporting role next to Benjamin St-Juste, and guide the DBs as well. Slay might even compete with fellow veteran Marshon Lattimore for snaps on the other side while youngster Mike Sainristil holds down the slot.
However, despite the comment or the conducive roster dynamics, it seems the veteran’s most likely landing spots remain his two former teams.
Detroit Lions could definitely use him to mentor young DBs like Terrion Arnold. But also to play meaningful snaps for a Lions pass defense that was third-worst in the league last year. However, Slay isn’t ruling out a return to the City of Brotherly Love either.
“Nah, I’m not hurt about it. I’m not sad about it because this is what I signed up for… It’s always a possibility, though, of your boy coming back. It’s not always throw it in the back, but this time I’m just thankful enough that I could get ahead of free agency if I find me a good destination for myself… If the Eagles do something nice, they know I’d love to be back,” the Georgia native said.
“I know me and Howie had a great talk… He just said we’ll see how things shake out and we will. So possibly, he might spin the block back just like he did last time. And look, he [spun] the block back, and a year, two years later, Super Bowl champs. So, you know what I’m saying? We’ll see,” he added.
What Slay referred to when he said he “spun the block” was when, in 2022, the Eagles did something similar. They technically released him that offseason. However, they brought the CB back on a restructured deal shortly thereafter.
Slay has a great resume, a good track record mentoring younger players, and is still playing at a pretty solid level. We’d imagine whoever lands him would likely have to pay him around $10 million a year. Especially after that talk of “if the price is right.”
