The Eagles tried to squeeze Pittsburgh for a draft pick when they found out a deal was in place on Monday but had no leverage in the situation and ultimately released the veteran corner. Once Slay was officially a free agent, he inked a fully guaranteed deal with Pittsburgh. The age-34 corner was still a key cog in Philly’s Super Bowl defense last year, breaking up 13 passes and forcing a fumble. He also led all players with five postseason pass defenses. Despite his strong play, the Eagles were hit on multiple corners in the draft and wanted more cap space over retaining Slay. He stays in Pennsylvania with a starting role for the Steelers on tap for 2025.

As Florio notes, Slay’s release from Philly is not official yet. That means he is still under contract with the Eagles and is not free to sign with another team, despite previous reports saying a deal had been agreed to. Per Florio, the Eagles might also keep Slay. This largely sounds like the Eagles posturing to squeeze out a draft pick from the Steelers, who obviously have their eyes set on Slay. For now, nothing is expected to be finalized until Wednesday, leaving Slay in a state of limbo.

The decision to release Slay comes just weeks after the veteran corner said he hopes to play “one more year.” Slay still hopes to play at least one more season, , who will save $4.3 million against the cap with his release. Slay will be 34 next season, but was solid on his 946 snaps. He earned a PFF coverage grade of 75.5 on the season while allowing 45 catches for 553 yards and four touchdowns. Adam Schefter reports Slay will be designated as a post-June 1 release, but he is currently free to sign with any team.