PHILADELPHIA — One day after agreeing to terms with one of last year's starting cornerbacks, the Philadelphia Eagles appear to be on the cusp of saying goodbye to the other.
NFL reporter Adam Schefter reported Wednesday morning that the Eagles are set to release veteran corner Darius Slay.
The news comes a day after reports that Philly agreed to terms on a new deal with Slay's secondary mate on the other side of the field, James Bradberry.
Bradberry and the team agreed to terms on a three-year, $38 million deal on Tuesday, according to reports.
Slay tweeted an apparent goodbye message to Eagles fans soon after the news broke.
The 32-year-old Slay was about to enter the final year of his contract with the Eagles and was rumored to be lobbying for a new deal. The Eagles, according to reports, were more interested in restructuring his contract to lessen his salary cap hit in 2023.
Late last week, reports surfaced that the Eagles had given Slay permission to seek a trade through his agent, Drew Rosenhaus.
With Bradberry coming back, and the lack of a trade suitor acceptable to both parties, the Eagles apparently are ready to part ways with Slay.
There are reports the Eagles are more interested in bringing back free-agent safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, whom they traded for last year and was arguably their top pass defender last season. The decision to release Slay could be designed to free up cap space to reach a new deal with him, the reports say.
Slay provided a steady presence in the Philly secondary since the Eagles traded for him in 2020. He was arguably their top defensive player in 2021 and got off to a hot start last season.
But over his final 14 games last year, Slay's production dropped off. He finished with three interceptions and 14 pass breakups, but teams appeared able to target his side of the field effectively.
Slay has played 10 NFL seasons with the Detroit Lions and the Eagles. He has 26 career interceptions, 136 pass breakups, and four fumble recoveries over that span.