After winning a Super Bowl, an organization has time to celebrate, but they also need to quickly start planning for the next season. Now, almost a month after the Eagles’ Super Bowl victory, they face the unfortunate reality of the NFL offseason—letting players leave via free agency or releasing them. In this case, the Eagles will be parting ways with Pro Bowl cornerback Darius Slay and fellow corner James Bradberry.
Photo Cred: USA Today
Slay has spent the last five seasons with the Eagles, while Bradberry joined the team in 2022. Both players played key roles in the Eagles’ defense, which was the top-ranked unit in the NFL this past year. Despite their success, both are nearing the end of their careers. Slay is 34 years old, and Bradberry is 31. Both will be post-June 1st releases, which will help alleviate some of the team’s salary cap issues.
Releasing Slay will save the Eagles $4.3 million, and cutting Bradberry will save them $2.1 million. This cap space is crucial for the Eagles as they head into free agency and attempt to retain key players. Linebackers Zach Baun, Josh Sweat, and offensive guard Mekhi Becton—ranging in age from 25 to 28—are all hitting free agency.
Photo Cred: USA Today
They were integral to the Eagles’ success, helping the team finish with the league’s top defense and one of the NFL’s best offensive lines, which opened holes for Saquon Barkley to rush for over 2,000 yards this season. The decision to release two veteran cornerbacks also makes sense given the Eagles’ investments in the future. Last year, they drafted two cornerbacks—Cooper Dejean and Quinyon Mitchell—with their first two picks.
Both players had standout rookie seasons, with Dejean even picking off a pass from Patrick Mahomes and returning it for a touchdown in the Super Bowl. It’s sad to see great players like Darius Slay and James Bradberry leave a team that they helped elevate to two Super Bowls, winning one of them. However, this is an unfortunate part of the business of sports. Teams must often replace older, more expensive players with younger, cheaper talent. Fortunately for the Eagles, it seems they’ve already found excellent replacements.
