The Pittsburgh Steelers need a starting cornerback, and Darius Slay has been among the best for years. Now 34 years old, however, he could be in the market for a new team. The Philadelphia Eagles are designating him a post-June cut but may re-sign him. They did the same thing with Fletcher Cox a couple years ago.
Either way, the move means that teams like the Steelers have the opportunity to state their case to Slay. A six-time Pro Bowler and former All-Pro, he has one of the strongest resumes in the league at his position. But Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette urges caution, citing one recent name.
“[Before] you say the Steelers sign [Darius] Slay, please consider how the last old CB they signed in free agency did”, he wrote in a recent chat. “Patrick Peterson was a shell of his former self in his one year with the Steelers and no one signed him last season. I’d much rather spend double the money and get a 25-year-old who is on the ascent”.
In 2023, Patrick Peterson signed a two-year, $14 million contract with the Steelers, but they released him after one season. During the 2023 season, he was 33 years old, and he looked like it. He started out as an outside corner but increasingly played inside. Eventually, he wound up at safety, though that was due to necessity. Now Darius Slay is at roughly the same point in his career.
Slay made the Pro Bowl in all but one season from 2017 through 2023 but missed the cut in 2024. Perhaps he would have made it as an alternate in 2024, but the Eagles were busy winning the Super Bowl. In 14 games, he registered 49 tackles and a forced fumble, but zero interceptions. It was the first time as a starter in his career that he failed to intercept a pass. He did record one in the playoffs, but the Steelers are already dealing with an interception dry spell from Minkah Fitzpatrick.
“I hate the idea of going year to year with veteran corners”, Fittipaldo wrote later in the chat, referring again to the Steelers potentially targeting Darius Slay. “Eventually you have to find a young guy who can grow with [Joey] Porter [Jr.]. As I said earlier, spend some $ and get a younger free agent”.
There will be some notable available free agents at the cornerback position, and many believe that the Steelers will go after one of them. One advantage of the Steelers signing Darius Slay would be that he would not count in the compensatory formula. As a “street” free agent due to his release, he is not classified as a “compensatory” free agent. But the Steelers don’t typically play the compensatory calculator, or if they do, not very well.
But is it fair to Darius Slay to suggest the Steelers should be hesitant due to their experiences with Peterson? I don’t think it’s too much of a stretch to say he would be better than what they’ve had for years. Donte Jackson picked off five passes last season, yet many seem ready to watch him walk.
