When the Pittsburgh Steelers signed Darius Slay to a one-year, fully guaranteed $10 million contract, it was with the hopes that he would be a starting-caliber cornerback all season. Unfortunately, Slay hasn't only fallen short of expectations, but he's now fallen completely out of favor with the team.
Just ahead of the Steelers' pivotal Week 13 AFC matchup against the Buffalo Bills, Pittsburgh's official inactive list revealed that Slay will not be suiting up for today's game. Interestingly, this comes despite the veteran cornerback not having an injury designation all week.
The verdict was simple: Slay is a healthy scratch for today's game... and it's not hard to understand why.
The Pittsburgh Steelers no longer trust Darius Slay to see the field
At 34 years old, Slay is the oldest cornerback in the league. In fact, he's two years older than the next oldest CB to so much as take a snap in the NFL this season. And it's clear his old age is catching up to him quickly.
In 10 games played entering Week 13, Slay has been credited with allowing 30 receptions on 40 targets for 337 yards and a touchdown, per advanced stats from Pro Football Reference. This is accompanied by a 108.0 passer rating to opposing quarterbacks.
In his place, the Steelers will turn to the hot hand of James Pierre. Pierre has been excellent when called upon this season. Pittsburgh has also elevated Asante Samuel Jr. from the practice squad. Samuel spent the offseason recovering from spinal fusion surgery, and the 2021 second-round pick of the LA Chargers will look to revitalize his NFL career.
Because he does not play special teams, it makes little sense for the Steelers to stash Slay on the bench. He would only see the field in the event of an injury, and apparently, this wasn't enough incentive to give him a helmet today.
Darius Slay has been a liability in Pittsburgh's secondary in most games that he has played this season. Credit Mike Tomlin and the coaching staff for picking up on this. Unfortunately, this lofty 2025 offseason investment looks even worse now, considering that Slay is a healthy scratch against the Bills.