Darius Slay and James Bradberry Expect to Complement Each Other
PHILADELPHIA - There are a number of reasons James Bradberry decided to stay in the NFC East and sign a one-year, prove-it deal with the Eagles that could be worth as much as $10 million.
There's the obvious revenge theme with Bradberry getting an opportunity to stick it twice a year to the New York Giants, who did the veteran at least a little dirty by hanging on to him as long as they did.
And then there are the finances for Bradberry, most notably getting the opportunity to reach eight figures again in 2022 while also securing the right to hit free agency next March when many teams will be flush with money to budget for a big-name CB.
Another aspect is on the field which should help Bradberry reach his incentives this season and also set up the lucrative deal next March, playing opposite four-time Pro Bowl cornerback Darius Slay.
"I see an elite corner," Bradberry told Jim Rome when discussing Slay. "I watched him since I got into the league. I always admired his game. Just having the opportunity to learn from him and actually complement him, I'm excited for it.
"I think we're going to complement each other pretty well."
Bradberry said eerily similar things about Slay during his press availability last week with Philadelphia reporters including Eagles Today, highlighting a certain discipline in messaging.
"I’ve been watching him since I’ve been in the league," the Eagles' new CB said. "And I admire his game a lot. I feel like it’d be a great opportunity to learn from him. But also, play alongside him because he’s a great corner."
That might not seem like a big deal to fans but self-control, method, and preparation tend to carry over to all walks of life for successful people.
While Slay has been regarded as a true CB1 dating back to his days in Detroit, Bradberry served in that role for the Giants the past two seasons. The two are the only cornerbacks in the NFL with 80-or-more pass breakups since Bradberry's rookie season of 2016.
Slay had arguably the best season of his nine-year career in 2021 with three interceptions, two fumble recoveries for touchdowns, nine PBUs, and a 59.5 passer rating allowed when targeted. He was graded as the fourth-best CB in the NFL by Pro Football Focus, behind only LA Rams star Jalen Ramsey, emerging Atlanta lockdown option A.J. Terrell, and Washington's Kendall Fuller.
While Bradberry took a step back in 2021 after being PFF's seventh-best CB in 2020, much of that had to be with the lengthy Samford product playing through a nagging injury, an NFL source told Eagles Today.
For the first time in a very long time, it's conceivable to believe the Eagles could have two top-20 level CBs and perhaps even top 10. It's certainly Philadelphia's best duo since at least Lito Sheppard and Sheldon Brown and perhaps even Troy Vincent and Bobby Taylor.
"From the outside looking in, there's always been a corner issue here," Slay said on SiriusXM NFL Radio. "There aren't too many teams that had two top-tier corners that played together in the Philly area. We're trying to make sure we fill them shoes.
"The sky's the limit for me and Bradberry. I'm gonna help him, he gonna help me. We complement each other and we're really trying to turn this into something great here."
-John McMullen contributes Eagles coverage for SI.com's Eagles Today and is the NFL Insider for JAKIB Media. You can listen to John, alongside legendary sports-talk host Jody McDonald every morning from 8-10 on ‘Birds 365,” streaming live on YouTube. John is also the host of his own show "Extending the Play" on AM1490 in South Jersey. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen
