Darius Slay agrees to four-year extension with Detroit Lions

Defensive back Darius Slay has agreed to a four-year contract extension with the Detroit Lions, worth $50.2 million and $23 million fully guaranteed.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Detroit Lions and cornerback Darius Slay have agreed to a multi-year contract extension. Slay has signed a four-year deal worth upwards of $50.2 million, $23 million of that is fully guaranteed.

Slay has emerged as one of the Lions’ best defensive players in his first three NFL seasons. He is a former second-round pick by Detroit in the 2013 NFL Draft coming out of Mississippi State University.

Entering year four of his promising NFL career, Slay is being tabbed as one of the better shutdown cornerbacks in the NFL. He has started all 16 games in the Lions’ secondary in the last two years. While he only has four career interceptions over three NFL seasons, Slay has been excellent in passes defended with an impressive 31 in the last two seasons.

This is a pragmatic move for the Lions front office, as Detroit plays in a division with three solid quarterbacks. Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers, Chicago’s Jay Cutler, and Minnesota’s Teddy Bridgewater all strive to stretch the field with their arms. Given that weather is always an issue in the NFC North, it makes sense for the Lions to invest in one of the star perimeter players to aid their defense in pass defense.

Slay is only 25 years old should be able to play at an elite level for the Lions during the life of his four-year contract extension. Perhaps what Slay’s signing means more than anything is that the Lions front office didn’t want to see their star cornerback leave the organization in 2017 NFL free agency at 26 years old with at least a few years left in his football playing prime.

For more NFL news, please check out our NFL category page.