The Steelers and veteran cornerback Darius Slay have officially gone their separate ways. After being a healthy scratch in Sunday’s matchup against the Bills, Slay and the team mutually agreed to part ways-a quiet end to what’s been a rocky stint in Pittsburgh.
Now, with the trade deadline long gone, Slay will go through waivers before he’s eligible to sign elsewhere. And naturally, one potential landing spot jumps out: Philadelphia.
A reunion with the Eagles isn’t far-fetched. In fact, it might make more sense than it seems on the surface.
The Eagles have been shuffling the deck all season trying to solidify the cornerback spot opposite rookie standout Quinyon Mitchell. Adoree' Jackson is the current placeholder, but injuries and inconsistent play have made that a less-than-stable solution.
Behind Jackson, options have been limited. Kelee Ringo didn’t seize the job in camp, and the Eagles have already tried to plug the gap with trades-most notably acquiring Jaire Alexander, who retired before ever taking the field.
They also brought in Michael Carter II, who offers some flexibility in the slot and safety roles, but the coaching staff has been reluctant to move Cooper DeJean outside full-time. That tells you all you need to know about how desperate-and careful-they’re being with that CB2 spot.
Enter Slay, who knows the system, knows the locker room, and still has ties to the city. He even showed up as a fan during the Eagles’ Week 5 game against Denver-when the Steelers were on their bye. That kind of presence doesn’t go unnoticed, especially in a city like Philly, where loyalty and familiarity matter.
Slay, 34, isn’t the All-Pro lockdown corner he once was, but he’s not washed either. He spent five seasons in Philadelphia, made three straight Pro Bowls from 2021 through 2023, and played a key role in the Eagles’ Super Bowl run last year, starting all 14 regular season games and every playoff contest.
His time in Pittsburgh, though, didn’t go according to plan. After signing a one-year deal in the offseason, Slay never quite found his footing in the Steelers' secondary.
In 10 games, he was targeted 37 times and allowed 26 completions for 302 yards and a touchdown. Opposing quarterbacks posted a 103.7 passer rating when throwing his way, per NFL NextGen Stats.
Not disastrous, but certainly not up to the standard he set in Philly.
Still, for a team like the Eagles, who are very much in win-now mode and still fine-tuning their secondary heading into the final stretch of the season, a familiar face like Slay could offer both stability and leadership. He knows the scheme, he knows the expectations, and perhaps most importantly, he knows how to play meaningful football in January.
Whether the Eagles make the call remains to be seen. But if they’re still looking for answers at CB2-and all signs point to that being the case-then bringing back Slay might be the kind of move that makes both football and emotional sense.