It’s another end of an era in the Motor City as the Detroit Lions decided to deal longtime cornerback Darius Slay to the Philadelphia Eagles, who subsequently signed him to a contract that makes him the top paid player at his position.
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In exchange, the Lions received a third-round pick (No. 85 overall) and a fifth-round pick (No. 166) from the Eagles.
As always, CBS Sports issued their official grade on the deal for both sides. Take a look and see if you agree with their reasoning:
For Philadelphia: A
“Philadelphia finally gets the shutdown corner they’ve been searching for. Slay is looked at as one of the top corners in the entire NFL and is particularly strong in man-to-man coverage. He’s been named to the Pro Bowl for the past three years was a former First-team All-Pro in 2017. Even with an injured hamstring in 2019, Slay was still able to allow just an 81.6 passer rating when targeted while also being tied for the team lead in interceptions (2) and passes defended (13).”
For Detroit: B-
“Sometimes it’s just smart to cut your losses with a player. Despite Slay’s immense talent, his days with the Lions appeared to be numbered for quite some time, so it was only a matter when they’d actually pull the trigger on moving on from a player, who didn’t seem too interested in sticking around the Motor City any longer. The Lions also didn’t seem interested in paying Slay, so they at least get some compensation for him as he walks out the door.
As for the package they got back, I’d say it was fine, but not exactly a king’s ransom. That was to be expected, however, as any deal for Slay likely would have come with the caveat that the team acquiring him would also need to give him a new contract that makes the three-time Pro Bowl corner the highest paid player at his position.”
Do you agree with their grading of the deal?
– – Quotes via Tyler Sullivan of CBS Sports Link – –
