Veteran cornerback Darius Slay is still weighing his options regarding his future in the NFL.
He was waived by the Steelers after they added Asante Samuel Jr. and declined to report to the Bills after they claimed him off waivers. However, Slay’s former team, the Eagles, also put in a waiver claim, and he may have preferred to return to Philadelphia.
A statement issued by Slay’s agent after he did not report to Buffalo said that the 34-year-old “is going to take some time away from football right now and decide in the next few days if he wants to keep playing,” suggesting that retirement is an option. Slay said before the 2025 season that it would likely be his last.
However, this standoff could also be a play to be released by the Bills and get to Philadelphia. Other teams would be unlikely to place a waiver claim and potentially put them in the same situation as Buffalo, so the Eagles would be able to win their claim.
Slay declined to say whether or not he would have reported to the Eagles had he been assigned to them.
“Mostly, it’s a family decision kind of to it,” Slay said on the Speakeasy (via ESPN’s Alana Getzenberg). “So, we just see how it goes though. But I’m going to take it day by day.”
Typically, teams work with veteran players when they wish to hit free agency, but Slay’s potential attempt to get to one specific team could rub the Bills the wrong way. They may also feel burnt after waiving cornerback Ja’Marcus Ingram to clear a roster spot for Slay. Ingram was claimed off waivers, and head coach Sean McDermott said (via Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic) that they were hoping to get him back on their practice squad.
That would have kept Ingram available to fill the role that Slay is currently refusing to take on. Instead, the Bills will have to look to other cornerbacks to provide depth in their secondary.
McDermott called the situation “unfortunate” but declined to offer any more details.
It will be interesting to see if Hard Knocks spins off a series entitled “Waiver Wars” 🙂
It’s a shame. If he wanted to ride with a bunch of good dudes with a legit shot at the Super Bowl, he couldn’t find a better landing spot than buffalo. If it’s the eagles or retirement then so be it. I’m not helping him out if I’m the bills. Why should they cater to him when they lost a valued member of the team to get him? Why should they help a possible future Super Bowl opponent? I don’t feel bad for the Bills, but I’m not helping this guy just to help him.
Punish slay because he doesn’t want to play in buffalo? Ridiculous.
Don Barzini: “A refusal is not the act of a friend”.
Why on earth would the Bills ever want to help the Eagles when they might well meet in the Super Bowl? It’s not about Slay at all.
If you think allowing slay to finish his career in Philly might somehow tip the scales Philly’s way in a super bowl match up between the two Jack, you haven’t seen slay play this season and the bills won’t be there.
Games are won and lost by a few plays, sometimes even just 1 (andrews drop, holding call on eagles).
Slay has the experience to make that one play. No playoff team is asking him to play 60 minutes against WR1, but when the game is on the line and you are in your dime package and they motion a reciever and you swap coverages on 4th and 2 with 45 seconds left, you need all 11 on the field to be as good as possible.
“punish”….how is this punishment….the Bills may in fact meet the Eagles in the SB so why would they want to help them out…..he’s a professional football player who gets paid a boatload of cash to play a game…the NFL isn’t a Democracy where you get to play where you want just because….he was maneuvering to get back to the Eagles obviously…..so now we here the usual bull about needing to talk with his family as its a “family decision”……come on….
I get the rock in your name.
Put him on “refused to report”list and let him suck wind. Foolish of the Bills to let Ingram loose. At this point, he might be better than Slay.
I would love to see Big Play Slay back on the Birds & wish there was a less messy way to make it happen, other than the obvious.
He’s not coming. Bills won’t release him just to see him in an Eagles uniform in three weeks. He or his agent could have said something before he was claimed off waivers.