While NFL free agency is still a few days away, the league is still buzzing with rumors. On Friday morning, news came that the Philadelphia Eagles have given star cornerback Darius Slay permission to seek a trade, putting the entire league on notice that one of football's best cover men could be on his way out of the City of Brotherly Love.
Slay, 32, has earned five Pro Bowl selections in the past six seasons, locking up many of the NFL's top receivers. In 2022, he racked up three interceptions and 14 deflected passes while anchoring the Eagles' top-ranked passing defense.
If Slay really is on his way out of Philly, he will no doubt have plenty of suitors. The star cornerback does carry a massive cap hit of over $26 million next season, the final one on his contract. Nonetheless, there are a few teams that would be more than happy to pay that price for a top-flight corner.
Without further ado, here are the three best destinations for Slay if the Eagles do decide to trade him.
3. New England Patriots
New England's defense was good in 2022, but could still be better, particularly against the pass. The Patriots allowed 216.5 passing yards per game, ranking 15th in the league. While that's not an awful number, it isn't great either.
Furthermore, New England could have a big need at cornerback this offseason. Top corner Jonathan Jones is about to hit free agency, and after the Patriots didn't franchise tag him, it seems likely he won't be back. If he leaves, then the Patriots will have the unimpressive corner duo of Jalen Mills and Marcus Jones, which doesn't strike fear in opposing offenses.
If Slay is available, then Bill Belichick and company should make a run at him. He would be the top corner right away, and the Patriots have enough cap space to handle his contract. Star linebacker Matt Judon tweeted his desire to bring Slay to New England, so at least one Patriot is already on board.
2. Atlanta Falcons
If New England's pass defense was average in 2022, Atlanta's was well below that. The Falcons allowed 231.9 passing yards per game last season, 24th in the league. That said, they might be in a better position in terms of corners.
Despite a down year, AJ Terrell can still be one of the best corners in the game. He's just one year removed from being a Second Team All-Pro, and at only 24 years old, there's still plenty of time for a bounce back. A pairing of Terrell and Slay could be one of the very best corner duos in the league, which has to be an intriguing prospect for the Falcons.
Additionally, with nearly $64 million in cap space, Atlanta can easily handle Slay's cap hit with plenty of spending room to spare. He may be older than most of the Falcons' roster, but that just means he could be an excellent mentor. If the move is cheap enough, then Atlanta should absolutely consider it.
1. Cincinnati Bengals
Unlike the other teams on this list, Cincinnati is a true contender and should be for years to come. Joe Burrow has taken the Bengals to new heights over the last two years, and the future is still remarkably bright. However, the Bengals do have some serious needs this offseason, particularly in the secondary.
At cornerback, Eli Apple is about to hit free agency and very well might not come back. The safety position is even worse off, with Jessie Bates and Vonn Bell also about to hit the market. Cincinnati's pass defense already wasn't spectacular, but it could easily fall apart with all the free agency losses.
If the Bengals want to avoid this outcome and upgrade all in one move, then Slay could be a great option. The one concern is the salary cap, as while it may seem like they have plenty of space, they also have several young players to pay soon and need to save for that.. If Cincinnati can find its way around that, though, then adding Slay makes a lot of sense.
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