Source: Steelers sign Slay, address need at cornerback
The Steelers are signing All-Pro cornerback Darius Slay, a team source confirms with DK Pittsburgh Sports. It's a one-year, $10-million contract. The Eagles released him after the start of the new league year Wednesday at 4 p.m.
Slay, 34, provides a much-needed upgrade in the Steelers secondary, and will currently slide in to start opposite Joey Porter Jr. on the outside. Slay could also be a good mentor for the young cornerback.
While he didn't record an interception last season, the first time since his rookie season in 2013, Slay still had 13 passes defensed and quarterbacks had an 82.2 passer rating when targeting him, which is better than his career average of an 85.2 passer rating against.
Slay's ties to the Steelers and a few in the organization go back a few years. Teryl Austin was Slay's defensive coordinator for four seasons in Detroit. When Slay went to the Eagles in 2020, Andy Weidl was the Eagles' vice president of player personnel. During the 2023 offseason, the Steelers were one of several teams inquired about Slay’s availability. He wound up signing a two-year extension with the Eagles, but he recently revealed he almost became a Steeler.
"Mike Tomlin, one of the best coaches in the NFL, man," Slay said on his podcast, Big Play Slay. "What’s so crazy is I almost was going to them, too. They hit me up, too. T.J. Watt texted me, Cam Heyward texted me, and they talked about me coming there. Before I ever got to make a decision, they signed (Patrick Peterson), so they kind of chilled out for a minute. But I was almost a Pittsburgh Steeler as well."
The Steelers have also recently added former Jets cornerback Brandin Echols, further adding the to the needed depth at cornerback.
One more note on Slay: Signing him does not figure into the compensatory pick formula because the Eagles released him from his contract.
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THE ASYLUM
Chris Halicke
8:46 pm - 03.12.2025DowntownSource: Steelers sign Slay, address need at cornerback
The Steelers are signing All-Pro cornerback Darius Slay, a team source confirms with DK Pittsburgh Sports. It's a one-year, $10-million contract. The Eagles released him after the start of the new league year Wednesday at 4 p.m.
Slay, 34, provides a much-needed upgrade in the Steelers secondary, and will currently slide in to start opposite Joey Porter Jr. on the outside. Slay could also be a good mentor for the young cornerback.
While he didn't record an interception last season, the first time since his rookie season in 2013, Slay still had 13 passes defensed and quarterbacks had an 82.2 passer rating when targeting him, which is better than his career average of an 85.2 passer rating against.
Slay's ties to the Steelers and a few in the organization go back a few years. Teryl Austin was Slay's defensive coordinator for four seasons in Detroit. When Slay went to the Eagles in 2020, Andy Weidl was the Eagles' vice president of player personnel. During the 2023 offseason, the Steelers were one of several teams inquired about Slay’s availability. He wound up signing a two-year extension with the Eagles, but he recently revealed he almost became a Steeler.
"Mike Tomlin, one of the best coaches in the NFL, man," Slay said on his podcast, Big Play Slay. "What’s so crazy is I almost was going to them, too. They hit me up, too. T.J. Watt texted me, Cam Heyward texted me, and they talked about me coming there. Before I ever got to make a decision, they signed (Patrick Peterson), so they kind of chilled out for a minute. But I was almost a Pittsburgh Steeler as well."
The Steelers have also recently added former Jets cornerback Brandin Echols, further adding the to the needed depth at cornerback.
One more note on Slay: Signing him does not figure into the compensatory pick formula because the Eagles released him from his contract.
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