Eagles Top 25 Best Players Countdown: A Cornerback Nearing The End?

Getting ready for his 12th NFL season, Darius Slay had knee surgery and a back injury late last season and he turned 33 on Jan. 1.

Nov 26, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Darius Slay (2) reacts after breaking up a pass play against the Buffalo Bills during the second quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports / Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

PHILADELPHIA – The new year brought another birthday for Darius Slay.

On Jan. 1, he celebrated his 33rd, making him an anomaly now on an Eagles team that is slowly transitioning to an under-30 roster with the retirements of Jason Kelce and Fletcher Cox. Brandon Graham (36) and Lane Johnson (34) are two other key players over that threshold, and both are still important pieces on the team.

So is Slay.

Has there been some slippage? Sure.

Should there be some concern that he suffered a pair of injuries in different weeks late in the season after staying healthy throughout most of his 11 years in the NFL? Maybe.

What there is no denying is that Slay remains one of the Eagles’ top players and the veteran cornerback checks in at No. 11 on our list of the top 25 best Eagles heading into the season.

The top 25 list has become an annual affair of SI.com Eagles writer Ed Kracz and John McMullen as the two reporters submit their top 25 lists at the same time so each would be unaffected by the others. No. 1 on the list is awarded 25 points and so on down the list with No. 25 receiving one point.

Slay was No. 9 on this list last year. This year, McMullen ranked him No. 9 in his list; Kracz had him No. 13.

Darius Slay meets with reporters following an OTA practice on May 22, 2024 /

Whether he will be back on this list next year is uncertain. Though he is signed through 2025, his salary-cap charge jumps to from $10.6 million this year to $13.7M.

After Week 14, Slay opted to have arthroscopic knee surgery and missed the final four games of a regular season that swirled down the drain with losses in six of the final seven.

It’s not likely Slay’s presence would have averted such disaster, and as it was, it gave a chance for some of the younger corners to play, such as Kelee Ringo (No. 25 on our list).

Slay returned for the wild-card playoff game in Tampa, but, before the final score – 32-9 Buccaneers – sent the Eagles into an offseason of uncertainty, Slay was carted off with a back injury. While it looked bad, Slay said on the team’s annual clean-out day that he escaped serious injury.

Slay’s time is winding down. And he knows it, which was a big reason why he showed up during the voluntary OTA portion of the offseason - to teach the young corners such as Ringo, this year’s back-to-back lop picks, Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, and others, how to take over when he is done playing.

“That’s the main thing to teach them, how to be a pro,” he said. “…just letting them know I’m always here for you boys. Anything you all need from me, I got you, I’m the blueprint for everything to make sure they succeed at this level.

“That’s my job to do, that’s what I was always brough up to do. I’m an older brother of all the siblings, so it’s always been my duty to lead and be the example and make sure they get the right directions.”

Here is the top 25 list so far:

No. 25: Kelee Ringo

No. 24 Cooper DeJean

No. 23: Isaiah Rodgers

No. 22: Avonte Maddox

No. 21: Brandon Graham

No. 20: Mekhi Becton

No. 19: Milton Williams

No. 18: Cam Jurgens

No. 17: Devin White

No. 16: Bryce Huff

No. 15: Reed Blankenship

No. 14: Jordan Davis

No. 13: Josh Sweat

No. 12: Jake Elliott

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