There appears to be trouble in paradise, as the Philadelphia Eagles have reportedly given cornerback Darius Slay permission to seek a trade. While the Eagles hope to retain Slay’s services for the 2023 campaign, there is a very real chance that the former All-Pro finds a new home in the coming weeks. While the five-time Pro Bowl selection isn’t the player he once was, he is still one of the better cornerbacks in the league, and there is no such thing as too many good defensive backs in today’s pass-happy league.
Top 5 Darius Slay Trade Destinations, Ranked
Baltimore Ravens
The Lamar Jackson situation is obviously the most important bit of news in Baltimore, but quarterback is far from the only need on the team. With Marcus Peters set to hit free agency, the Ravens need to find more help in their secondary. There are few players better than Slay, and he could be the ideal option for a Ravens team that shares a division with some great receivers in Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Diontae Johnson, and Amari Cooper.
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are in a position to take a big leap in 2023. The team has their quarterback of the future in Trevor Lawrence, an offense loaded with solid playmakers, and a clear path to a division crown thanks to a weak AFC South. However, if they want to truly compete for a title, they’ll need to improve their defense. Nobody can completely stop the high-powered offenses of Kansas City, Buffalo, and Cincinnati when they’re on their game, but they can slow them down. Lawrence has the potential to go blow-for-blow with any offense in the league, and adding Darius Slay via trade might be enough to add one or two defensive stops in a postseason matchup.
Miami Dolphins
Editor’s Note: the article was scheduled to be published prior to the Jalen Ramsey trade. Ramsey’s presence effectively eliminates any offer of Slay joining the Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are all-in on Tua Tagovailoa, which means that they can use the remainder of their offseason resources to address the rest of the roster. Byron Jones is officially out of the picture, which means this team desperately needs more help at cornerback. Darius Slay can still play at a high level, and he’s the perfect choice to match up against Stefon Diggs as these two teams battle for the division crown.
If this is truly it for Darius Slay in Philly, thanks for the most dominant performance against the league’s best WR.
Truly one of my favorite performances by a player that I’ve witnessed. pic.twitter.com/YYkJrpZalN
— PhillyBirdsCountry (@birdscountry) March 10, 2023
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots had one of the best defenses in football last year, but their one true weakness was at cornerback. That weakness is only going to get weaker, as Jonathan Jones is a free agent and there is a very real chance that the team moves Jalen Mills to safety to replace the retired Devin McCourty. Bill Belichick loves having a shutdown cornerback, as seen from his time with Ty Law, Darelle Revis, and Stephon Gilmore. Darius Slay is definitely capable of handling a role like that, and Belichick has never shied away from making a big trade.
Los Angeles Chargers
Year 1 of the JC Jackson Era was an unmitigated disaster, and the Los Angeles Chargers should not count on him for anything. Perhaps the former undrafted free agent turns it around in Year 2, but that is anything but a given. Sharing a division with the Kansas City Chiefs means that you need to build your team around stopping the pass, and finding elite cornerbacks is the best way to do that. Slay won’t stop Patrick Mahomes all on his own (nobody can) but he will make life harder for opposing offenses.
Main Photo: Mark J. Rebilas – USA Today Sports
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