Darius Slay lived up to his word about skipping the Detroit Lions' mandatory minicamp this offseason if he didn't land a more lucrative contract. With training camp fast approaching, he seems to be broaching making a similar threat.
During an appearance on Thursday's edition of The Pride Podcast, Slay wouldn't commit to reporting to training camp when players return to the team in final preparation for the regular season on July 24th.
“Will I be there?” Slay said in an episode of The Pride Podcast released Thursday. “We'll see. Time will tell.”
Slay, who’s made the Pro Bowl each of the last two seasons, signed a four-year, $48 million extension in the summer of 2016 that suddenly leaves him underpaid after he’s evolved into one of the league’s best cornerbacks. He was named First Team All-Pro in 2017 after leading the NFL with eight interceptions and 26 passes defensed, and last season Pro Football Focus named him the 18th-best cover man in the NFL.
Asked for details about contract negotiations between he and the Lions, Slay declined, seemingly content to let his representation do most of the bargaining.
“I ain’t getting into that,” he said. “I’m going to let my agent and the organization kind of handle all that. I’m just going to be chill about it and see how it all plays out.”
Slay's uncertain status for training camp is especially concerning for Detroit given the ongoing absence of star defensive tackle Damon Harrison. Like Slay, he held out of minicamp in hopes of securing a new contract.
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