On Wednesday, the Bills claimed cornerback Darius Slay on waivers. The team that released Slay in the offseason tried to get him, too.
Via Ian Rapoport of NFL Media, the Eagles put in a waivers claim for Slay. But the Bills had priority.
Slay’s contract costs only $350,000 for the balance of the year, since the bulk of his 2025 compensation was paid by the Steelers in the form of a signing bonus.
A first-round pick in 2013, the 34-year-old Slay spent seven years with the Lions and five with the Eagles. He’s a one-time All-Pro and a six-time Pro Bowler.
Slay appeared in 10 games with nine starts for the Steelers. He was inactive on Sunday, for Pittsburgh’s game against his new team.
A day after cornerback Darius Slay’s tenure in Pittsburgh ended, he is getting a fresh start in Buffalo.
The Bills claimed Slay off waivers from the Steelers, according to multiple reports.
Slay didn’t play for the Steelers against the Bills on Sunday, as he was a healthy scratch, and that was reportedly the reason he asked to be released so that he could see if some other team would claim him and play him.
The Steelers signed Slay to a one-year, $10 million contract at the start of free agency in March, thinking he’d be a major addition to their defense. Instead, he’s been a major disappointment. His contract was structured to have a big signing bonus ($8.74 million) but a low base salary ($1.255 million) and that means the Bills only owe him about $350,000 for the balance of this season’s base salary.
That’s a very cheap price to pay for a cornerback who could potentially make an impact on their defense down the stretch of the regular season and in the playoffs. The Bills will hope that Slay makes some big plays in meaningful games over the next two months.
The Bengals gave their playoff hopes a shot in the arm by beating the Ravens last Thursday and wide receiver Tee Higgins could be back to help them take another step in the right direction against the Bills this week.
Head coach Zac Taylor told reporters at a Wednesday press conference that Higgins will be on the practice field later in the day. Higgins will be limited in his first practice work since suffering a concussion in Cincinnati’s Week 12 loss to the Patriots.
Higgins remains in the concussion protocol, but the return to practice moves him closer to being cleared in time to face Buffalo on Sunday.
Higgins has 40 catches for 575 yards and seven touchdowns this season.
Bills quarterback Josh Allen became the No. 1 QB in NFL history in career rushing touchdowns on Sunday when he ran into the end zone for the 76th time, one more than Cam Newton’s former NFL record. But Allen has also scored more rushing touchdowns than a lot of Hall of Fame running backs.
Allen’s rushing touchdown total ranks 25th in NFL history among all players, and he could be in the Top 20 all-time by the end of this season.
With 76 rushing touchdowns, Allen already has more than Hall of Fame running backs Earl Campbell (74), Leroy Kelly (74), Joe Perry (71), Steve Van Buren (69), Thurman Thomas (65), Larry Csonka (64), Lenny Moore (63), O.J. Simpson (61), Terrell Davis (60), Paul Hornung (50), John Henry Johnson (48), Floyd Little (43), Ollie Matson (40), Gale Sayers (39), Hugh McElhenny (38) and Ernie Nevers (38).
With one more rushing touchdown, Allen will tie Tony Dorsett for the 24th most in NFL history. With two more he’ll tie Ricky Watters for 23rd. With four more he’ll tie Edgerrin James for 22nd. With five more he’ll tie Ottis Anderson and Frank Gore for 20th.
Allen isn’t just one of the great rushing quarterbacks of all time. He’s one of the best football players ever when it comes to running the ball into the end zone.
The Bills trailed the Steelers at halftime of last Sunday’s game, but they were able to take control of the game a few minutes into the second half.
Cornerback Christian Benford had a big hand in making that happen. After Joey Bosa forced Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers to fumble on a sack on the first play of the third quarter, Benford scooped the ball up and returned it for a touchdown. Rodgers went to the medical tent after that play and Benford intercepted backup Mason Rudolph a few plays later to set up a touchdown that sent the Bills on their way to a 26-7 win.
Benford also posted two tackles and a tackle for loss in the victory.
The NFL announced on Wednesday that Benford has been named the AFC defensive player of the week in recognition of his performance.
