Report: Eagles release Darius Slay after five seasons with team

Darius Slay’s accomplished run with the Philadelphia Eagles is set to conclude, with the team releasing the veteran cornerback.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter first reported the move, which had been speculated in recent weeks. Now, as Slay eyes one final season in the NFL, he will be searching for a new team for just the second time in his career. The release will be designated as a post-June 1 cut.

Eagles are releasing six-time Pro-Bowl CB Darius Slay, per sources.

If he is designated a post-June 1 release, the Eagles will save $4.3 million against the cap. pic.twitter.com/tUq4ScIK79

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 3, 2025

By parting ways with Slay, the Eagles will clear $4.32 million in cap space while incurring a dead-money hit of $9.44 million, which can be distributed over two seasons.

The team will also avoid a $5 million option bonus due on September 1. Slay, who had no guaranteed salary left on his contract for 2025, will officially become a free agent when the new league year begins.

After spending seven seasons with the Detroit Lions, Slay was traded to Philadelphia in 2020, where he quickly became a key piece of the Eagles’ secondary.

During his five seasons with the team, he earned three Pro Bowl selections and played a crucial role in the franchise’s two Super Bowl appearances, including a championship victory.

Slay’s departure had seemed imminent last offseason, but a revised deal kept him in Philadelphia for another year. Although he remained a key contributor, he finished the 2024 regular season without an interception for the first time in his Eagles tenure.

The team’s decision to draft cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean with their first two picks last year hinted at a shift toward a younger secondary, paving the way for this move.

While Slay’s departure appears likely, a reunion at a reduced salary isn’t entirely off the table, according to Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz.

While the #Eagles are releasing CB Darius Slay as a post-June 1 cut, a return to the team remains a possibility, per sources. Philadelphia took a similar approach with Fletcher Cox in 2022 from a cap standpoint. Slay should have a market, but he’ll be selective at this stage of… pic.twitter.com/Kyz9hKAps0

— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) March 3, 2025

However, with young talent like Mitchell, DeJean, and Kelee Ringo under rookie contracts, Philadelphia has the flexibility to move on. They could also look to retain Isaiah Rodgers on a team-friendly deal.

Even at 34, Slay remains a viable starting cornerback, making him an attractive short-term option for teams in need of secondary help.

Slay wasn’t without his faults (mostly off the field), but he’ll undoubtedly be remembered as one of the best Eagles’ corners in modern franchise history.

Never forget when Darius Slay had Justin Jefferson incarcerated for 60 minutes. pic.twitter.com/Iz49eMeWoR

— Victor Williams (@ThePhillyPod) March 3, 2025