3 major statements from Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Darius Slay
Here are a few strong opening statements from “Big-play Slay”.
As you’d imagine, right out of the gate, Ike Reese asked Slay about the trade that brought him here and what his excitement level is in terms of being a new face in Philly’s city and locker room.
"I think (that) they were trying to trade for me last year. I guess they continued to keep trying, and we got it done. I was looking forward to it. I’m happy. (I’m) glad. I’m excited. I’ve been hearing nothing but great things about Philly, and I’m ready to be a part of it."
Sure, that’s what you’d expect from anyone who leaves one situation where he wasn’t happy and ventures into another, but with Slay, there are already some ties to some of the guys in this Eagles organization.
Their defensive coordinator, Jim Schwartz, is the guy that drafted him 36th overall in Round 2 of 2013’s NFL Draft. Schwartz was the head coach of the Detroit Lions at the time. There haven’t been any playoff wins for the Lions that have materialized during his time there, but don’t blame “Big-play Slay”.
In 103 career games with 94 starts, he’s racked up 347 total tackles with104 pass breakups and 19 picks. That includes a league-high with eight interceptions in 2017 and a game-ending pick he snagged versus Carson Wentz in 2016. Teams don’t throw in his direction with relative ease.
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He’s made each of the last three Pro Bowls, and he was named a First-team All-Pro in 2017. Oh, and during his collegiate tenure, he earned Second-team All-SEC honors in 2012 while playing in the NCAA‘s toughest football conference. As a member of the Mississippi State Bulldogs, he was teammates in 2011 with a guy Eagles fans might know, All-Pro defensive tackle Fletcher Cox. It’s safe to say that he shouldn’t have any issues with getting acclimated to what Philly is doing on defense.