The Buffalo Bills have been dealt a stern warning on cornerback Darius Slay.
The Buffalo Bills recently claimed cornerback Darius Slay after he was released by the Philadelphia Eagles, aiming to add some much-needed veteran depth to their secondary.
However, Slay opted not to report to Buffalo and is now apparently weighing retirement.
But does the six-time Pro Bowler really want to hang up his cleats? Or is he merely trying to reroute himself to Philadelphia or Detroit?
Dianna Russini of The Athletic surmises it may be the latter.
"In late February, while still under contract with the Philadelphia Eagles, Slay appeared on the 'St. Brown Podcast' and said that he wanted to play one more year and that 'the two spots I would love to always be at is Philly or Detroit,'" Russini wrote.
The Eagles definitely need help in their defensive backfield, especially after their trade deadline move for Jaire Alexander ultimately fell through. Meanwhile, Lions safety Brian Branch just suffered a torn Achilles, so Detroit could also stand to add some depth in its own secondary.
Darius Slay. Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images.But will the Bills — who own the rights to Slay and have him on the reserve/retired list — let Slay out of his agreement? Russini advises them to do so.
"For now, I’m told that Slay will remain on the sidelines. With the Bills facing the Eagles in Week 17, it will be interesting to see what Buffalo decides to do. Slay is repped by superagent Drew Rosenhaus, so Buffalo may want to play nice," Russini wrote.
Slay began 2025 with the Pittsburgh Steelers and played 10 games for the club before being waived. He logged 36 tackles and three passes defended during his time with the Steelers, posting a 58.6 coverage grade at Pro Football Focus.
The 34-year-old began his career with the Lions in 2013 and spent seasons in Detroit before being traded to Philadelphia in March 2020. Slay then played in Philly for five years.
Slay made three Pro Bowl appearances each for the Lions and the Eagles, with his best season coming in Detroit in 2017 when he racked up 60 tackles, eight interceptions and 26 passes defended en route to a First-Team All-Pro selection.
The Mississippi State product is certainly not the same player anymore, but he might still be able to help a contending team. It just won't be the Bills.