Darius Slay recently appeared on the St. Brown Brothers podcast, where talk quickly shifted to his NFL future. After securing his first Super Bowl title just over a week ago, Slay expressed his desire for 2025 to be his final season. He also told the St. Brown brothers that he would definitely consider returning to the Detroit Lions for that last season.
“If it happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t, but for sure the two places I’d love to be are either Philly or Detroit. Those are my top choices,” Slay shared.
However, it’s not as simple as the Lions signing Slay in free agency. Slay is under contract with the Eagles for the 2025 season. But with a looming $13.8 million cap hit this year and a potential $24.9 million cap hit in the voided 2026 season due to a $16.1 million option bonus, the Eagles are unlikely to keep Slay at his current salary. If they cut him, it would cost the Eagles $22.7 million in dead cap, though designating him for a June 1 cut would spread the cost between 2025 ($9.4 million) and 2026 ($13.3 million).
The Lions may be looking to add a free agent cornerback this offseason. Currently, Carlton Davis, Kindle Vildor, Khalil Dorsey, and Emmanuel Moseley are all slated to become unrestricted free agents. While the Lions have the next few weeks to negotiate with their own free agents before the new league year begins on March 13, they could explore options to strengthen their cornerback position.
ESPN’s Dan Graziano addressed salary cap questions for all 32 NFL teams, including the Lions. He speculated whether Detroit might make a splash for an edge defender in the market and shared an intriguing note about the Chargers’ Joey Bosa. Meanwhile, the NFL highlighted the top 10 plays from the Lions’ 2024 season, and it’s hard not to smile while watching them.
Freep’s Dave Birkett has released his first mock draft of the year, and he has Detroit selecting a defensive end. With the UFL set to start in just over a month, Lions Wire is keeping track of former Lions now playing in the league. While not directly related to the Lions, here’s an interesting perspective on why using lasers and chips to spot the ball in football isn’t as simple as it seems.