Philadelphia Eagles fans can rest easy. Star cornerback Darius Slay has signed a $42 million contract extension, with $23 million guaranteed, keeping him with the team for the next three seasons. Slay had been set to enter the final year of his three-year, $50 million contract that he signed in 2020. The extension comes after Slay had indicated on Twitter that he would be returning to the team.

Slay was traded to the Eagles from the Detroit Lions in 2020. Since then, he has been an integral part of the team’s success, making the Pro Bowl for the last two years. Last season, he had three interceptions and 14 passes defended. These stats helped Philadelphia to a 14-3 regular-season mark en route to an appearance in Super Bowl LVII. A five-time Pro Bowl selection, Slay has 26 interceptions, 133 passes defended, and 533 tackles in his career.

A Great Leader On and Off the Field

While many Lions fans begged for a Slay-return to Detroit, admittedly, it’s even more gratifying to see him succeed in Philadelphia. Slay is not only a great player on the field, but he is also a great man, a great teammate, and a leader in the locker room.

Slay’s nickname in Detroit was “Big Play Slay.” The nickname came from his ball-hawking ways, but he was also known for his leadership and his willingness to help young players. Slay’s leadership and experience have helped to shape the Eagles’ defense into one of the best in the league.

Eagles’ front office deserves an A+

In addition to extending Slay, the Eagles also signed former Browns corner Greedy Williams and James Bradberry to new contracts. The Eagles had to invest in the position this offseason when they inked Bradberry to a sizable extension. This new contract was expected to end Slay’s tenure with the team, but instead, the secondary will only have to deal with the loss of starting safety Marcus Epps.

The Eagles’ Executive Vice President/General Manager Howie Roseman deserves an A+ review for bringing back Darius Slay and securing the Eagles’ cornerback position for the foreseeable future. Roseman is known for his patience, understanding, and evaluation skills in reading the free-agent market. He also appears to have strong working relationships with players and agents. He is always looking for players who will fit into the team’s budget and who project the best for the team.

Congratulations, Big Play Slay

The Eagles have done a fantastic job in the first few days of the offseason. They have managed to keep a star-studded roster that won 16 regular-season and playoff games in 2022, and they have made significant improvements on the defensive side of the ball.

Extending Slay and keeping Bradberry to maintain one of the NFL’s best cornerback rooms is a gigantic accomplishment. The Eagles’ secondary is in good hands with Slay and Bradberry together on the outside, and Avonte Maddox at nickel. With some young cornerbacks like Zech McPhearson and Josh Jobe developing, the Eagles have a terrific cornerback room once again. If the Eagles want to add to it in the NFL draft, everyone would understand.

It’s an exciting time to be an Eagles fan, and Darius Slay is a big reason why.

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