Veteran cornerback Darius Slay is still weighing his options regarding his future in the NFL.
He was waived by the Steelers after they added Asante Samuel Jr. and declined to report to the Bills after they claimed him off waivers. However, Slay’s former team, the Eagles, also put in a waiver claim, and he may have preferred to return to Philadelphia.
A statement issued by Slay’s agent after he did not report to Buffalo said that the 34-year-old “is going to take some time away from football right now and decide in the next few days if he wants to keep playing,” suggesting that retirement is an option. Slay said before the 2025 season that it would likely be his last.
However, this standoff could also be a play to be released by the Bills and get to Philadelphia. Other teams would be unlikely to place a waiver claim and potentially put them in the same situation as Buffalo, so the Eagles would be able to win their claim.
Slay declined to say whether or not he would have reported to the Eagles had he been assigned to them.
“Mostly, it’s a family decision kind of to it,” Slay said on the Speakeasy (via ESPN’s Alana Getzenberg). “So, we just see how it goes though. But I’m going to take it day by day.”
Typically, teams work with veteran players when they wish to hit free agency, but Slay’s potential attempt to get to one specific team could rub the Bills the wrong way. They may also feel burnt after waiving cornerback Ja’Marcus Ingram to clear a roster spot for Slay. Ingram was claimed off waivers, and head coach Sean McDermott said (via Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic) that they were hoping to get him back on their practice squad.
That would have kept Ingram available to fill the role that Slay is currently refusing to take on. Instead, the Bills will have to look to other cornerbacks to provide depth in their secondary.
McDermott called the situation “unfortunate” but declined to offer any more details.