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It looks like Dallas Cowboys star Micah Parsons is recruiting a fellow Pro Bowler from a hated rival.
Not long after it was reported that Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Darius Slay was granted permission to seek a trade elsewhere, the Cowboys’ own Pro Bowl star sent a seven-word message on social media in response. The former Defensive Rookie of the Year made it no secret that he wants the 32-year-old cornerback on Dallas next season.
Why Eagles CB Darius Slay is Available Via Trade
As initially reported by Jeff Howe of The Athletic on Sunday, March 12, the Eagles’ lack of progress on a new deal with Slay led to them granting the veteran cornerback permission to seek a trade.
“CB Darius Slay and the Eagles had been negotiating a new deal,” says Howe. “When discussions weren’t progressing, the Eagles told Slay that he could seek a trade if he preferred, per source. Slay didn’t request a trade, so it’s possible things could still come together.”
The five-time Pro Bowl cornerback played an instrumental role in leading the Eagles to a Super Bowl appearance last season. Slay started all 17 games while appearing in 91% of the defensive snaps.
According to Pro Football Focus, Slay posted a 73.1 defensive grade and 77.4 grade in coverage. Among cornerbacks with at least 500 snaps, Slay ranked 17th in defensive grade and 12th in coverage grade.
Why Cowboys Could Use Darius Slay as No. 2 CB
In fact, Slay outperformed all Cowboys cornerbacks from last season, including Dallas’ No. 1 corner, Trevon Diggs. Diggs posted a 67.6 defensive grade and 67.0 grade in coverage last season.
While the Cowboys may be more focused on upgrading at the wide receiver position, cornerback is equally an area of concern. Cornerback Anthony Brown — who has served as a starter for Dallas since entering the league in 2016 — will be a free agent. Considering he’s coming off an Achilles’ tear and has never been a star player, there’s no guarantee he’ll return.
Outside of Diggs, the Cowboys’ other cornerbacks are Jourdan Lewis, DaRon Bland, Kelvin Joseph and Nashon Wright. They’re a mixture of young, talented and unproven cornerbacks. It’s a big reason why Dallas leaned on signing veteran cornerbacks off the free agency wire — Mackensie Alexander and Xavier Rhodes — towards the end of the season.
Slay’s current deal sees him earn $17 million in base salary (with a $26.1 million cap hit), making him the highest-paid cornerback for the 2023 season. However, he has just one year left on his deal, meaning he’ll be a free agent at the conclusion of the season.
The Eagles’ heavy number of free agents — eight defensive starters and running back Miles Sanders will hit free agency — make Slay’s contract negotiations a secondary matter for Philadelphia. That’s not even factoring in quarterback Jalen Hurts’ upcoming contract extension, which could see him earn $50 million annually.
With all of that being said, while Slay could very well be moved before the start of the 2023 season, it definitely won’t be to the Cowboys. The Eagles and Cowboys are not only two hated division rivals, both are entering the upcoming season with Super Bowl aspirations.
Parsons can continue recruiting all he wants on social media, but Slay is not going to be a member of the Cowboys by virtue of trade from the Eagles.
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