Eagles Fletcher Cox & Darius Slay Reveal Where They Almost Signed in Free Agency

Veterans Fletcher Cox and Darius Slay returned to the Eagles during free agency, and both talk about their decisions on recent podcasts.

The offseason nearly looked a lot different for a pair of Philadelphia Eagles veterans.

Imagine defensive tackle Fletcher Cox with the New York Jets and cornerback Darius Slay with the Baltimore Ravens.

It nearly happened.

Slay said on his podcast, “Big Play,” that he was close to joining the Ravens.

He held his two fingers close together and said, “I was almost, almost, this close to being a Baltimore Raven.”

Slay, though, wanted to stay with the Eagles, a team he helped captain to the Super Bowl this past season.

“I wanted to be an Eagle, I stayed an Eagle because I knew me and Howie (GM Roseman) would figure something out,” he said. 

“But the Baltimore Ravens were the first team that called and they offered just what I wanted and I just said if the Eagles did that, I’m going to stay an Eagle. I was almost a Raven, I was almost a different bird.”

How close was Darius Slay to becoming a @Ravens? pic.twitter.com/olf59nqaZ8

— Jimmy D (@tgreeezy) April 1, 2023

The Eagles and Slay had an interesting off-season. The team nearly released him as they tried to negotiate a deal to lower Slay’s salary cap charge of $26 million.

The two parties eventually settled on a $42 million extension over two seasons that runs through 2025, at which time Slay will be 35. His cap charge this season will be $11.8 million but decrease to $10.9 million next year and then goes up again in the final year to $14.4 million.

As for Cox, he went on former teammate Chris Long’s “Green Light” podcast and said New York Jets GM Joe Douglas, who worked as the VP of player personnel with Eagles GM Roseman in Philly from 2016-2019, came after him hard.

“I couldn’t picture myself wearing another uniform and I definitely would have had to switch numbers,” Cox told Long.

John Franklin-Myers wears No. 91 for the Jets.

Cox has worn No. 91 since entering the league as the Eagles’ 12th overall pick in the 2012 draft and has become one of the best defensive players in franchise history.

Long called him an institution in Philly.

"No. 1, I'm excited to be back,” said Cox. “Two, it came down to really some decision-making and talking with family. It was close, but at the same time, I wanted to stay home. I wanted to be here in Philly and finish this thing in the city of Philadelphia. Again, it was close, but I'm excited to be back."

Cox signed a one-year deal worth $10 million.

He is coming off a solid season in which he posted 7.0 sacks, his most since putting up 10.5 in 2018. Now 32, Cox could be on track to end his career with the Eagles, depending, of course, on his continued production.

If he does, he could be one of four current players to begin and end their careers with the team that drafted him, joining Jason Kelce, Brandon Graham, and Lane Johnson.

The four have been teammates since coming into the league with the Eagles more than 10 years ago.

Cox talked on Long’s podcast about Kelce, who will return for a 13th season at the age of 35 and is still playing at a high level after being named to his fifth AP All-Pro team this past season.

“Me and Kelce are probably the last two to walk onto the practice field,” said Cox. “We’re in the training room getting ready for practice. I ask him every day, you really wanna be doing this next year?”

Cox said Kelce usually responds, “(Bleep) no, I don’t know if I’ll be doing this (bleep).”

“I saw him in the facility the other day,” said the defensive tackle about the center. “He’s in good spirits. He said he was excited to be back. He’s an all-time Eagle.”

And now, Slay and Cox are again Eagles as well.

Ed Kracz covers the Philadelphia Eagles for SI Fan Nation Eagles Today and co-host of the Eagles Unfiltered Podcast. please follow him on Twitter: @kracze. Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Philadelphia Eagles? Click Here. Want even more Philadelphia Eagles news? Check out the SI.com team page here