Darius Slay’s time in Detroit has come to an end after six seasons with the club.
That’s the latest news in the NFL as the Lions have traded Slay to the Philadelphia Eagles. The former Mississippi State defender was selected by the Lions in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft.
ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter is reporting that the Lions will receive two draft selections for Slay, a third- and a fifth-round pick in the upcoming 2020 NFL Draft.
Slay is coming off three consecutive Pro Bowl appearances with the Lions and has registered 347 total tackles, 19 interceptions, 104 passes defended with one sack and one forced fumble during his time in the NFL.
One interesting aspect of this trade, as pointed out by Warren Sharp of Sharp Football, Slay has had outstanding success against Amari Cooper during their NFL careers. Cooper recently agreed to a long-term extension to remain in Dallas, which is of course in the same division as the Eagles.
Check out the damage Cooper has done in his career against Philadelphia:
Cooper vs PHI (5 gms, 44 targets):
• 4 TDs
• 11.1 YPA
• 98 yds/gm
• 64% catch rate
Now take a look at how successful Slay has been at limiting Cooper during their head-to-head contests:
Cooper vs DET (2 gms, 12 targets):
• 0 TDs
• 3.5 YPA
• 21 yds/gm
• 33% catch rate
Based on those stats, the Eagles may have felt compelled to do something to limit the Dallas receiver in the coming seasons.
Here’s Ian Rapoport of NFL Media discussing the trade:
From our breaking news on @NFLNetwork: The #Eagles grab a big one, landing former #Lions CB Darius Slay in a trade with Detroit. pic.twitter.com/5En9Bgs57t
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 19, 2020
A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Michael Wayne Bratton oversees the news coverage for Saturday Down South. Michael previously worked for FOX Sports and NFL.com
