The demise of Darius Slay has been greatly exaggerated and despite having what many deemed a down year in 2020, some of the NFL’s top players, executives, and high-ranking insiders believe he’s still elite.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler released his top 10 cornerbacks for the 2021 season and the Eagles star landed at No. 9 on the list.
9. Darius Slay, Philadelphia Eagles
Highest ranking: 6 | Lowest ranking: Unranked
Age: 30 | Last year’s ranking: 4Most teams agree Slay isn’t a top-five guy anymore, but they do expect a bounce-back year after an uneven first season in Philadelphia.
“When he’s high-motor, he’s dangerous,” an NFC coach said. “When something goes wrong or if he’s in a funk, he can be a liability.”
Pro Football Focus moved Slay outside of the top-20 corners for 2021 after producing a 62.9 rating last season. He also failed to crack the top 20 in completion percentage allowed as the nearest defender. But he has plenty of pedigree with 20 interceptions and 110 pass deflections, and he should have at least one more high-level year left.
The Rams Jalen Ramsey landed at No. 1 on the list, followed by Marlon Humphrey of the Ravens and Xavien Howard of the Dolphins. If the Eagles can add Steven Nelson to the roster at some point this summer, Slay could return to back to his normal productive self.
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