Source: Eagles plan to release star CB Darius Slay

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The Eagles are moving on from Darius Slay.

After the two sides could not come to a new contract agreement, the Eagles are planning to release the Pro Bowl corner when the new league year begins Wednesday afternoon, a league source confirmed to NBC Sports Philadelphia.

Slay, 32, spent the last three seasons in Philadelphia and was a Pro Bowler in 2021 and 2022. He said his goodbye to Philly on Wednesday morning:

Slay was set to enter the final year of his contract in 2023 and wanted a contract extension. The Eagles, meanwhile, desperately wanted to lower his $26 million cap hit for the upcoming season. Last Friday, the Eagles granted Slay’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, permission to seek a trade. That was a move was so Rosenhaus could find the market for the veteran cornerback.

But since then, the two sides were not able to come to an agreement on a new contract and now the Eagles are moving on from Slay.

The Eagles had two options with this release. And according to a league source, they will designate Slay as a post-June 1 release. That will clear $17 million in cap space but they will have to carry his full $26.1 million cap hit through that date. It will eventually leave $8.6 million in dead money in 2023 and $13.8 million in dead money in 2024.

While the Eagles are losing Slay, they were able to retain James Bradberry, who was a pending free agent. Bradberry is re-signing on a three-year, $38 million contract. Bradberry, 29, was a second-team All-Pro in 2022.

The Eagles will also likely make a push to re-sign safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who is a pending free agent, as well.

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