Over the next few weeks leading up to training camp, we’ll be counting down the top 25 most important Eagles for the 2024 season.
25. Brandon Graham
24. Nakobe Dean
23. Milton Williams
22. Jake Elliott
21. Nolan Smith
20. Cooper DeJean
19. Reed Blankenship
18. Tyler Steen
17. Devin White
16. Quinyon Mitchell
15. Jordan Davis
14. Landon Dickerson
13. C.J. Gardner-Johnson
12. Dallas Goedert
11. Josh Sweat
10. Bryce Huff
9. Cam Jurgens
8. Saquon Barkley
7. Darius Slay
As he gets set to enter Year 12 in the NFL, 33-year-old Darius Slay knows he doesn’t have too many years left.
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“Ahh s—. Not too many,” Slay said this spring. “I’m not going to just keep playing. I’m going to let these young guys eat. That’s what I’m here for, to make sure these guys get there. And when my time is up, It’s up. I’m ready to be a full-time daddy and stuff. I got a daughter who’s running track. Ready to have my track hat on. I’m trying to get into tennis too so I can be like a tennis dad and all kind of great stuff.”
Slay has spoken at lengths about how important it is for him to be a leader to a young secondary, especially to first- and second-round draft picks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean.
While that is part of Slay’s job description now, the Eagles still need him to play like a Pro Bowler.
Slay has played four seasons with the Eagles and has been a Pro Bowler in each of the last three years. Typically, cornerbacks begin to slow down into their 30s but it hasn’t really happened with Slay yet.
NFL
Since joining the Eagles in a trade before the 2020 season, Slay has played 60 of 67 possible games. He has 9 interceptions, 2 touchdown returns and 43 pass breakups.
He’s still a really good player and a captain. But Slay knows he doesn’t have much time left in the NFL for a reason. It’s rare for cornerbacks this old to still be productive.
In the last five years, there have been a total of seven cornerbacks age 33 or older to start 10+ games in a season:
2023: Stephon Gilmore - Age 33, 17 starts
2023: Patrick Peterson - Age 33, 16 starts
2021: Jackrabbit Jenkins - Age 33, 13 starts
2021: Josh Norman - Age 34, 14 starts
2020: Jason McCourty - Age 33, 11 starts
2019: Brandon Carr - Age 33, 16 starts
2019: Johnathan Joseph - Age 35, 11 starts
Because of that history, it’s risky putting so much faith in Slay’s ability to play a full season at age 33. But the good news is that the Eagles have replenished the position and have a stable of young and capable cornerbacks as they prepare for training camp in 2024.
Slay is under contract for this year and next but there’s a chance that this could be his final season with the Eagles if things don’t go well or if the young players behind him appear ready to take over.
During his Eagles career, Slay has probably been a little under-appreciated. He is a three-time Pro Bowler and the best cornerback in Philly since Asante Samuel over a decade ago.
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