I am not an advocate of the Detroit Lions trading for Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Darius Slay.
The Lions punted him before because he could not keep his mouth shut. It is difficult to return home. And he is 32 years old, which is old for an NFL cornerback.
I am in favor of the Lions trading for Slay.
The Lions did not punt him. The failed leadership of Matt Patricia and Bob Quinn did because Slay had some productive things to say while refusing to keep his mouth shut. Quinn and Patricia didn’t want to hear his critiques and shipped him to Philadelphia after a productive seven-year career with the Lions. All the things we saw happen to the Eagles, Slay wanted to happen in Detroit. He kept yapping because he knew the passive Patricia way did not work in Detroit or anywhere else.
He did what teammates wanted Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders to do – speak up and speak out. Besides, Slay is a youthful 32 years old with plenty more to give.
Once again, I do not want Darius Slay. He’s dead.
I want Slay. That is the name that motivates him, and it is the name he wants everybody to call him.
Slay gave his agent Drew Rosenhaus permission to seek a trade.
Lions defensive back Jerry Jacobs made a pitch for Slay to return to the Lions on Twitter.
“Yoo big bro @bigplay24slay we got hella room for you over here my guy let’s make some happen, I know the whole Detroit would like for that to happen.”
Lions’ fans have bombarded Twitter asking Darius Slay to return home. So have unruly Eagles fans who wrote “If Slay wants to win nine games he will return to Detroit. If his goal is to win a Super Bowl, he will remain with the Eagles.”
Jacobs is not the only one recruiting Slay. Linebacker Micah Parsons wants him in Dallas. Receiver Cordarrelle Paterson is pitching Slay to come to Atlanta. Former Lions teammate Quandre Diggs was also outspoken in Detroit. He is now in Seattle, where he hopes Darius Slay will join him
Slay is saying all the right things, that he wants to remain in Philadelphia. It is something he must say in case no trade happens and he must face the most evil fan base in America.
Rumors swirling
“I know what’s going on. I hear the rumors. I hear everything,” Slay said on his podcast Big Play Slay. “I see everything all over the globe, all over the internet, and I just want my fans to know Slay did not ask to be traded. But this is part of the business. There’s no bad blood against neither one of us, me or (Eagles GM) Howie (Roseman). None of that. We all good, great understanding. It’s just the business part of it. A lot of guys go up for trades, you know. They got a lot of money involved in this situation, so it’s nothing big, nothing too serious. It’s just part of the business, man.”
“I do want to finish up my career as an Eagle, but we will see.”
The Eagles are hoping to lower Slay’s cap hit while Slay seeks a longer term deal. He is due $17 million next season, with a cap hit of $26.1 million. If the Eagles trade him before June 1 they will save an additional $3.7 million in cap space.
The Lions are likely to draft a corner high in the draft, but they could use a veteran corner. Maybe the Lions did not go all in for Los Angeles Rams corner Jalen Ramsey, who was traded to the Miami Dolphins for a third-round pick and back up tight end Hunter Long, because they are saving their trade chips for Slay or are looking to sign Jamel Green or James Bradberry.
