Slay Stays

Posted: March 17th, 2023 | Author: | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | Comments Off on Slay Stays

When we last talked, Darius Slay was supposed to be getting released. I guess you could say his release was intercepted.

Slay is 32 and wanted a new deal. He wanted more money. Howie Roseman let Slay know he could have the deal, but they just couldn’t give a raise to an older corner. They let Slay and his agent talk to other teams to judge the market. No trade could be worked out so Howie let Slay know he was going to be cut.

Instead of cutting him right away, Howie kept talks open with Slay and Drew Rosenhaus. Slay didn’t want to leave. He just wanted the deal. Howie somehow got Rosenhaus and Slay to accept the deal he was offering.

We need to see specifics to know what this really means. One thing we do know is that Slay’s cap figure for 2023 went down, giving the Eagles much needed space. That doesn’t mean they’ll spend a bunch. Remember that they need room for draft pick salaries and also some fudge room heading into the season in case they need to pick up a Suh or Joseph along the way.

Off the field, I love having Slay back. He seemed to really enjoy being an Eagle and his personality was good for the locker room. He helped keep things fun. His teammates are certainly glad to have him back.

https://twitter.com/1kalwaysopen_/status/1636197450548428801

On the field, I have mixed feelings. The Eagles kept a good CB. You can’t complain about that fact, but they probably have the oldest starting CB duo in the league. That’s not ideal.

It is so hard to know when to move on from players these days. Sports science has players performing at a high level into their 30’s. Back in the Joe Banner days, the Eagles moved on from guys when they hit 30. It was smart and helped the team stay good over a long period. It was frustrating at times, but it was smart roster management. Things have changed. Slay and James Bradberry were the best CB duo in the NFL last year. That might not change.

The Eagles can spend a high pick on a CB to develop for the future.

Speaking of CBs and the future…

Williams was the 46th overall pick in 2019. Injuries have limited him to 39 games (21 starts) in four seasons. It is interesting that Williams chose Philly, a team with a pair of proven CBs and a good nickelback. I am guessing that Williams wanted to go somewhere he thought he could develop. We don’t know who the Eagles DB coach is yet, but Bradberry and Slay can certainly help him out. Williams was surrounded by young corners in his time in CLE. Having a pair of savvy veterans to mentor him could be a good thing.

Williams had 6 INTs as a redshirt freshman at LSU and became a star. He didn’t develop after that and hasn’t come close to living up to his raw ability. He came into the NFL in the Covid era and I’m sure that didn’t help matters. He seems to be banking on developing this year and focusing on playing time in the future. Williams will turn 25 in December so he’s young. Low risk, but could be an interesting reward.

Smart move.

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No word on CJGJ.

We keep hearing reports that the Eagles are trying hard to re-sign him, but nothing of substance has happened. CJGJ isn’t visiting teams and you don’t hear rumors about him being linked to teams.

The market for safeties hasn’t been great. Jessie Bates got big money. Jordan Poyer ended up staying in Buffalo. Donovan Wilson stayed in Dallas. Julian Love and Taylor Rapp are still on the market. Teams aren’t throwing money around to land safeties.

I’m sure CJGJ is highly frustrated. He’s coming off his best season and he played well in the Super Bowl. He’s in the prime of his career. That should equal a good deal, but it hasn’t so far. It will be interesting to see where he ends up and if he signs a one-year deal or gets the long term deal he wants.

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Minshew will get a chance to play in Indy. They are almost certain to draft a QB early and he might not be ready to play right away. Hopefully Minshew plays well and entertains us. Following Shane Steichen to Indy is smart. He’ll have a good feel for the offense and can help teach the rookie QB.

The Eagles need to figure out backup QB. They also have holes at MLB and safety. Still plenty of time left to figure out what they want to do.

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