Eagles give Pro Bowl CB Darius Slay’s agent permission to explore a trade: report

The Eagles could lose both cornerbacks who started in the Super Bowl. James Bradberry, who committed a pivotal defensive holding foul late in last month’s Super Bowl, is set to hit the free agent market next week.

Now, five-time Pro Bowler Darius Slay may explore a trade after the Eagles gave the cornerback’s representatives permission to talk to other teams, sources told ESPN’s Dianna Russini.

The report mentioned that the team is hopeful it can find a way to keep Slay in Philadelphia.

Slay is entering the final year of a three-year, $50 million deal. He spent seven seasons with the Lions before signing with the Eagles before the 2020 season.

He is due to make a base salary of $17 million in 2023. Slay expressed his wish to stay in Philly on a recent episode of the “Montgomery & Co.” podcast

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“Of course, I want an extension with the Eagles. I love the Eagles. They took another chance on me trading for me, and I panned out very well, of course. But yeah, I love that money. So, of course I’m going to be talking about it this offseason,” Slay said.

“That’s everyone, that’s what we all do when we’ve got one year left on our deal. We try to get the extension because it makes the cap low, and then you get to start building around the team because once you’re cap’s too high, you can’t add more players.”

Slay acknowledged the impact his contract has on the Eagles salary cap and offered the team a solution.

“So, with me, with my cap that high, I’m sure they probably want to get it down, and the best way to get it down is to give me some money.”

The Eagles sent a third-rounder and a fifth-rounder to Detroit three seasons ago in exchange for Slay. He was named an All-Pro in 2017 and has made the Pro Bowl in each of the last two seasons.

He registered 55 tackles and three interceptions in 17 regular season games in 2022. The Eagles defense led the NFL in pass defense, giving up an average of 179.8 yards per game.

Other key members of the defense who could be playing in a different uniform next season include pending free agents in defensive linemen Javon Hargrave and Fletcher Cox and safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson. 

Defensive lineman Brandon Graham decided not to test the free agent market and agreed Friday to a one-year contract to remain with the Eagles, the NFL Network reported.