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Darius Slay told everyone he was going to bring a “new energy” to the Eagles. Well, the receivers just got their first taste of that passion.
Slay, the three-time Pro Bowl cornerback, came to Philadelphia to solve their lingering woes in the secondary. The unit desperately needed a shot of adrenaline, someone with a noticeable swagger to impart wisdom and build confidence. Slay has already proven he is the right man for the job.
“I bring a new type of energy to their team, something they knew they missed and something they knew they needed,” Slay told reporters. “I’m looking forward to being here … y’all accepted me like a brother and I appreciate the organization for believing in me.”
The man known as “Big Play Slay” was captured talking trash on Tuesday night to the Eagles receivers. It was all in good fun as the former Lions cornerback was baited into it by Greg Ward Jr. Either way, the vibe around the team is clearly different (for the better) with Slay in town.
“I’m gonna clamp your a** up,” Slay tells Ward before wagging his finger at the rest of the receivers. “Your a** … your a** … your a**.”
Slay will get his first crack at containing Ward and the other young receivers (Jalen Reagor, Quez Watkins, John Hightower) tomorrow as offense and defense finally take the field together. Players won’t be wearing pads or hitting each other until the “live period” begins on Aug. 17.
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Eagles Secondary Looking for ‘Respect’ This Year
The Eagles’ defense, especially the secondary, admitted they felt disrespected at times last season. The unit finished 15th in total defense but struggled to hold top receivers in check, allowing 3,865 yards and 27 touchdowns through the air. That lack of respect ate at safety Rodney McLeod throughout the offseason, something he intends to fix in 2020.
“As a secondary, I felt that we were a little disrespected at times,” McLeod told reporters. “I think now it’s time to live up to that standard — the standard that’s been set with people that played before us, the Brian Dawkins of the world, the Troy Vincents, Malcolm [Jenkins]. I think when you think about the guys who have put on the jersey before us, we owe them that. We want to get back to this secondary taking over this defense and winning the game for us and putting the game on our back.”
Strong words and a big reason why the Eagles invested $50 million (plus a pair of mid-round draft picks) in Slay. The shutdown corner can’t speak for what happened last year, although he can do his part to ensure history doesn’t repeat itself.
“I heard a lot of stories about how they were being disrespected [last year],” Slay said. “From me watching, they had good film, they were in good situations, don’t know what happened. They brought me here to help them get better and that’s what my goal is and I’m going to keep trying to do that, to keep helping the team get better.”
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