The cat is out of the bag after the Philadelphia Eagles announced the release of Darius Slay Jr. post-June 1. Slay won't officially become a free agent until then, but he will have the opportunity to search the job market beforehand. It would make sense for the veteran cornerback to find a strong market as he still produces reliable coverage, and the Pittsburgh Steelers could come knocking.
Philadelphia has moves they need to make before the start of free agency. They added $4.3 million in cap space by letting him go. He is coming off a Super Bowl victory, and it would make sense for him to land with a contender. Pittsburgh is trying their best to appear as Super Bowl contenders each year, but they haven't proved themselves. Perhaps Slay would buy the ploy they have been laying out.
Most of the Steeler's interest in Slay could depend on different things in free agency. If Pittsburgh misses out on some top-tier cornerbacks, this veteran option could be a cheaper fallback choice. He can still be a starting cornerback, but his age could scare teams away. He shouldn't command too much money, but signing him could be a gamble.
Signing Slay in free agency could be a reasonable gamble for the organization.
Darius Slay could be a perfect free agent addition for the Pittsburgh Steelers
With $60 million in cap space, Pittsburgh shouldn't be worried about the Steelers sitting idle in free agency. They will attack the market and scour the trade block for different upgrades to their roster. Many reporters who cover the club seem to be predicting the team will sign a receiver and cornerback in free agency. That doesn't rule out the idea of double-dipping at those positions.
They could always target a cheap veteran to help them develop the secondary.
They could bring aboard a reliable veteran on a short-term deal. It is uncommon for the Steelers to add a free agent over 30 years old, let alone Slay, who is 34. You cannot deny the reliability he brings to a defense. He might not be a top cornerback in the NFL anymore, but he could be a good transitional player.
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Joey Porter Jr. struggled last season but performed well when Patrick Peterson was on the roster. Maybe he needs a veteran mentor in the locker room who can provide pointers to the young player. Slay helped Philadelphia's secondary transition seamlessly with some young ballhawks this past campaign. It would be foolish for him to ignore another opportunity.
Slay shouldn't be the Steeler's top choice in free agency. He is 34 and could slow down too much, which would be comparable to Peterson. They need fast guys, but they might draft a cornerback and have Slay mentor the group. A transitional cornerback who could eventually lose his job with the Steelers would be the plan.