All Philadelphia Eagles fans were highly disappointed when they were not able to bring back Darius Slay late in the season.
After getting cut by the Pittsburgh Steelers, Slay was claimed by the Buffalo Bills, but made it clear he was considering retirement and wouldn't play for them, and the Bills decided to hold on to him for the rest of the season. Now that Slay is free to sign with whichever team he wants to, he is making it clear to all 32 NFL teams with whom he would sign in 2026.
“No team can call me but the Eagles.”
Darius Slay will only play for the Eagles in 2026
Despite starting his first seven seasons with the Detroit Lions, Slay has always had a soft spot for Philly, and the Eagles fan base has felt the same way. In total, Slay made it to six Pro Bowls and was an All-Pro back in 2017.
Throughout his five-year career with the Eagles, he racked up 272 tackles, 56 pass deflections, 11 tackles for loss, nine interceptions, four total touchdowns, three fumble recoveries, and one forced fumble. Slay made three Pro Bowls, helped the team to two Super Bowl appearances, and won one.
The Eagles' cornerback position is in an interesting place right now with All-Pros Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean as the stars of the unit. Riq Woolen just signed a one-year deal with the team to be the CB2. There are key reserves like Kelee Ringo, Michael Carter II, and Mac McWilliams, but they most likely won't get much playing time, with Carter being the exception if he moves to safety.
In reality, Slay would most likely not start on the Eagles if he did come back in 2026. He would be a fantastic reserve player on the bench, but the question is whether he would take a pay cut to come to Philly and be okay with being a backup.
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The most likely scenario is that if the Eagles suffer a bad injury in the secondary, Slay would be one of the first calls. Philly fans would love to see Slay back with the team in 2026, though.