Eagles’ Darius Slay Unveils Why He Snubbed Ravens Last Offseason!

The Philadelphia Eagles are driven by a desire for redemption. After making it to the Super Bowl in the 2022-23 season, they struggled in 2023. Although their record didn’t fully reflect it, the team’s overall performance was not up to par. Now, the Eagles aim to capture their second Super Bowl title in franchise history.

Cornerback Darius Slay was a key player in their 2022 playoff success. Slay, a free agent in the offseason, nearly joined the Baltimore Ravens. However, a call from a beloved figure within the Eagles organization changed his mind, according to Kevin Oestreicher.

“Eagles CB Darius Slay revealed how he almost joined the Ravens last offseason. ‘I almost was for sure a Baltimore Raven. I really committed to the Ravens and was finna go, then [Big] Dom called me and said ‘Slay, I want you here.’”

The “Big Dom” Slay referred to is Dom DiSandro, the former chief security officer for the Eagles, now an assistant coach. DiSandro is notable for an altercation with 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw during the 2023 season, which led to both being ejected.

Slay staying with the Eagles had significant consequences. The Ravens, missing out on Slay, drafted Nate Wiggins and T.J. Tampa. While a secondary featuring Slay, Marlon Humphrey, and Brandon Stephens sounds formidable, its effectiveness remains speculative.

The Eagles’ secondary was a glaring weakness last season, particularly evident in their Wild Card loss to the Buccaneers, where poor tackling contributed to their defeat. To address these issues, they drafted Quinyon Mitchell in the 2024 NFL Draft, hoping he will eventually replace James Bradberry as the CB2 behind Slay.

The Eagles also face the challenge of adjusting to life without veterans Jason Kelce and Fletcher Cox, both of whom retired this season. The team prepared for Cox’s departure by drafting Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis in consecutive drafts. For Kelce’s replacement, they have groomed Cam Jurgens as their new starting center.

Philadelphia aims for another deep playoff run this season. Despite early wins last year, they never found a consistent rhythm and were ousted quickly in the postseason. With a new defensive coordinator, there is hope that the Eagles’ defense will return to its former glory.

Gerard Angelo Samillano, Associate Editor for ClutchPoints, covers the NBA, NFL, MLB, and Gaming. When not writing, he enjoys playing VALORANT or pick-up basketball and is pursuing a BS in Mathematics.