In the aftermath of the Eagles reportedly giving Darius Slay permission to seek a trade, the news of the star cornerback’s sudden availability has apparently caught the eye of one his closest former teammates, Seahawks safety Quandre Diggs.
Slay, who is entering the final year of his contract with the Eagles, is coming off back-to-back Pro Bowl seasons, and has been a key piece for the team since being acquired from the Lions in March 2020. But, with Slay possibly on his way out of Philadelphia, Diggs took an opportunity to seize the moment by offering his best recruiting pitch to the 10-year veteran and his good friend on social media.
Diggs tweeted, “Well Well Well what do we have here! Mr. Slay @bigplay24slay your best friend is over here in Seattle loving life I think you will too brother!”
As evidenced by the three-time Pro Bowler’s quick response to the news, Diggs and Slay share a strong bond that dates back to their days in Detroit. The pair played together for four full seasons with the Lions, with Diggs, a 2015 sixth-round pick, joining Slay in the ’13 second-round pick’s third season with the team. Diggs was eventually traded to Seattle following Week 7 of the ’19 season, a move Slay strongly blasted in the media at the time.
A two-time Pro Bowler in his three seasons in Philadelphia, Slay’s potential exit from the franchise comes amid talks that the Eagles’ decision to allow him to look elsewhere ties into the team’s negotiations with the 32-year-old. It was also reported that Slay did not request the trade, and the Eagles hope both sides find common ground on a potential contract restructure.
Slay, a five-time Pro Bowler, is set to make a $17 million base salary and carry a $26-plus million cap in 2023, though his dead cap hit would be over $21 million if he’s cut or traded before June 1. In his 17 starts this past season, Slay logged 55 tackles, three interceptions and 14 passes defended.
