Getty Steven Nelson and TJ Edwards combine on a tackle for the Eagles in a game against the Chargers in 2021.
It appears as if Darius Slay’s best-recruiting pitch to keep his fellow starting cornerback in midnight green wasn’t good enough. Steven Nelson officially visited the Houston Texans in free agency, according to ESPN’s Field Yates. The Philadelphia Eagles haven’t made any reported offers to Nelson.
UPDATE: The Texans have officially inked Nelson to a two-year deal worth $10 million, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. That seems like an insanely cheap deal for a solid starting cornerback. He earned $3 million (via Spotrac) last season from the Eagles, including incentives.
The 29-year-old started 16 games for the Eagles in 2021 while finishing with 50 tackles and one interception. Pro Football Focus ranked Nelson No. 57 among qualifying cornerbacks, with a 62.9 overall defensive grade. He’ll be best remembered for a game-sealing pick in Week 5 against the Carolina Panthers. He and Slay combined for three total interceptions in that game.
Slay had been lobbying hard for the front office to keep his partner in the secondary. He predicted Nelson would get a big payday whether it was in Philly or elsewhere. It looks like the former third-round pick will be locking down the outside in a different uniform moving forward. His contributions didn’t go unnoticed last season.
“He did a lot for this team, man,” Slay said back in January. “It’s sad to say but when that time come I hope he earns what he deserves because he’s earning a lot of money right now,” Slay said. “Because he’s been out there playing his best game, tackling well, covering well, been a smart dude so he’s been a great addition to us for sure.”
The latest Eagles news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Eagles newsletter here!
Miles Sanders Sends Super Bowl Vibes to Jalen Hurts
Miles Sanders has been down in Houston training with his childhood trainer and mentor Craig Williams. He has been working his tail off to prove all his doubters wrong, especially since he’s in a contract year. Sanders also took some time to shower his quarterback with love. The fourth-year running back expects big things out of Jalen Hurts in 2022.
“Just watching him get more comfortable each and every game literally, he’s doing more and it’s showing in the games,” Sanders said of Hurts, via Pro Football Network’s Aaron Wilson. “He’s getting more comfortable and having fun with it. As long as you have good chemistry, any team can make it to the Super Bowl.”
Wild stat from the 2021 NFL season:
The Eagles led the NFL in rushing touchdowns and yet their lead running back (Miles Sanders) didn’t score a single touchdown.
Slay Continues to Impress Coaching Staff
If his four Pro Bowl selections didn’t convince everyone that Slay is among the best at his position, then maybe the words of his defensive coordinator will. Jonathan Gannon praised Slay’s football character and versatility when asked to gauge how important he was to the Eagles’ defense at the end of last season. Gannon laid it on thick, too.
“He’s willing to play whatever style we want him to play to be successful for that week,” Gannon told reporters on January 11. “It’s been an unbelievable year with him, being around him, as all of our guys. But he really has been a joy to be around. Just from the football character standpoint of one of your premium players being team-first.”