Report: Darius Slay to Be Cut After Eagles' Super Bowl Win to Save Salary Cap Space

The Philadelphia Eagles have a number of players set to hit free agency this offseason—most notably linebacker Zack Baun, defensive tackle Milton Williams, edge-rusher Josh Sweat and guard Mekhi Becton—and limited cap space to retain them.

On Monday, however, they made one cost-cutting move, releasing veteran cornerback Darius Slay with a post-June 1 designation, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter, a move that will save them $4.3 million against the cap.

There has been mixed reporting on the possibility of Slay ultimately re-signing with the Eagles on a more team-friendly deal, though it feels unlikely:

The veteran cornerback always knew he might be a cap casualty.

"I've got one more left (on my contract), but you know how that works," he said in February during an appearance on the St. Brown Podcast (h/t Kevin Patra of NFL.com). "Whatever they want to do, I might re-sign back, hopefully. If I ain't, we'll see what I'm doing because I do want to play one more year, for sure."

If Slay does depart this offseason, the 34-year-old will be remembered fondly in Philly. His five years with the team included two Super Bowl berths, one title, three Pro Bowl nods, nine interceptions and 56 passes defensed.

Slay remained solid throughout the duration of his time with the Eagles, though injuries began to take their toll. He missed five games last season and three in 2024, and appeared to be far less than 100 percent in multiple games this year. He was excellent in the postseason during the Eagles' Super Bowl run, however, notching an interception and five passes defensed.

Philly, meanwhile, remade the secondary last season, drafting cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, who both were immediate stars. The team also has Kelee Ringo waiting in the wings, while Isaiah Rodgers is set to hit free agency alongside Slay. If neither Slay or Rodgers is retained, cornerback depth will become a huge need for the Birds.

But given the emergence of Mitchell and DeJean—it's possible the latter could move outside after being a dynamo in the slot this past year—paired with Slay's cap hit, Monday's release felt inevitable.

And Slay can still play at a fairly high level, so he should have a nice market for teams willing to make a short-term move at corner. If it is indeed the end of his run in Philly, he certainly went out on top.