Report: Eagles trade for Slay, give CB extension worth $50M

The Philadelphia Eagles are acquiring cornerback Darius Slay from the Detroit Lions in exchange for a third-round pick and a fifth-round pick in 2020, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports.

Philadelphia will also give the star corner a new three-year contract extension worth $50 million with $30 million guaranteed, Schefter adds. With that deal averaging $16.67 million annually, the 29-year-old will become the NFL's highest-paid player at his position, according to Over the Cap.

For Slay, the trade finalizes a long-awaited exit from Detroit. He tweeted Wednesday evening about his desire to move out of the Motor City after it was reported the Lions agreed to a deal with free-agent corner Desmond Trufant.

Despite enduring a down year by his standards in 2019, "Big Play Slay" has been a constant presence in the Lions' defensive backfield. He's played in 13-plus games in six consecutive seasons, has recorded 19 career interceptions, and earned a Pro Bowl selection in three straight campaigns.

The Eagles, meanwhile, finally add a veteran presence while hoping to improve their pass defense. The team had been linked to a handful of high-profile defenders this offseason before acquiring Slay, including Byron Jones and Chris Harris.

Injuries decimated Philadelphia's secondary in 2019, and the unit performed poorly when healthy. Starting corner Ronald Darby is a free agent and safety Malcolm Jenkins signed with the New Orleans Saints on Wednesday after the Eagles declined his 2020 option.

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