Tag: Darius Slay

Lions Darius Slay watches 1st day of training camp from sidelines

ALLEN PARK — Darius Slay didn’t want to talk about his hold-out during the offseason program.

No matter from which angle the question was asked on Thursday, “next question” was his reply.

The Detroit Lions Pro Bowl cornerback did report to training camp on Wednesday, but was placed on the non-football injury list along with Damon “Snacks” Harrison, another veteran hold-out. Neither participated in the first day of camp on Thursday.

Coach Matt Patricia said it was just a matter of conditioning after being away from football for so long.

Slay has two years remaining on his contract which will pay him $12 million this year and $10 million in 2020.

One exchange went like this:

Reporter: Are you content with your current deal?

Slay: What do you think?

Reporter: I’ve been pretty vocal saying I think you’re underpaid but my opinion doesn’t …

Slay: Everybody in the world knows.

While he hasn’t been at the practice facility he has not lost touch with his teammates.

“It was cool, I was here in Detroit. Guys came over the house, hung out, chilled, cooked them crab legs,’’ Slay said. “It’s a business so it’s all good.

No matter his contract situation he said they’re his guys, his brothers.

“Everybody knows it’s a business,’’ said Slay who is entering his seventh season.

He said he’s happy the Lions signed a few veteran cornerbacks like Justin Coleman, Rashaan Melvin and Marcus Cooper.

“Oh, they’re great guys. It’s a little less pressure on my shoulders. This is really my first year stepping into the role of a leader, leader, leader with GQ (Glover Quin) not being here (which I miss so much, it’s hard to walk on the field without my dog). He’s chilling. Other than that it’s been good,’’ Slay said.

He said that the contract situation will not affect his play on the field.

“I’m going to do out there to dominate,’’ Slay said. “So I play for the name on the back of my jersey and this organization and my teammates. So ain’t going to never stop me from what I’m doing on the field.’’

He has set goals for himself but said he’s not worried about interceptions. He had three last season after pulling in eight to lead the league in 2018.

“That will come, I’m not stressing on that …’’ Slay said.

Instead he wants to step up his leadership since Quin has retired.

“Be a better leader, be more vocal with the guys, just helping these guys be better than I am that’s my goal,’’ Slay said. “Try to get these guys Teez (Tabor), (Jamal) Agnew, the young corners that just came in I want them to be a lot better than what I did. That’s my goal.’’

 

 

Justin Coleman reunites with high school buddies Darius Slay, Tracy Walker

Slot corner signed 4-year, $36 million deal with Lions

 

ALLEN PARK — Justin Coleman has cleared up the biggest mystery since he was rumored earlier this week to be signing as a free agent with the Detroit Lions.

Detroit cornerback Darius Slay claims he and Coleman are cousins.

Slay, Coleman and Lions safety Tracy Walker are all from Brunswick, Ga., and all went to the same high school there, but Coleman said they are not blood relatives.

“Man, the city where we’re from everybody are cousins. We’re not blood-related but we definitely are close, we grew up together,’’ Coleman said at his introductory press conference on Thursday at the Lions headquarters.

Slay and Coleman played for a few years together in high school. At age 24, Walker is younger and is indeed blood relatives with Slay.

“It was great playing with (Slay), we never knew that we were both going to get to this point. In high school he was one of the best players on the field, he kind of motivated me to get on the field and play a lot more,’’ Coleman said. “He kind of helped me along the way being the leader that he is. I tried to compete with him so I could get better myself and it helped me to get further along the way.’’

Slay, 28, was drafted by the Lions in the second round in 2013, while Coleman was undrafted but played in 10 games with two starts for the Patriots as a rookie in 2015. He also played for Matt Patricia in New England in 2016 before moving to the Seahawks for the 2017 and 2018 seasons.

“It was definitely a dream that we would come together at some point. I definitely looked up to (Slay) as a young kid to get to where he was going because I knew he was going to do something big with his life. Step by step, he led the way and we just grew up real close together, that allowed us to compete and get to this point,’’ said Coleman who turns 26 on March 27.

Coleman said he didn’t talk to Slay before he signed his four-year, $36 million ($19 million guaranteed) contract with the Lions.

But he’s heard from him since then. Slay told him, “Man, I’m so happy man, I told them they need to pay you.’’

Coleman ranks as the highest paid slot corner in the NFL, but that doesn’t seem to mean much to him.

“I kind of consider myself just another player coming to help the team. The money doesn’t matter. Of course it matters off the field — it helps my family out and helps the people close to me — but I just came here to help the team win and get to where we need to be,’’ Coleman said.

He would not be specific about how Patricia used him in New England’s defense instead saying he’s just happy to have the opportunity in Detroit.

His best traits?

“I feel like I give a lot of effort when it comes to finishing plays and just getting involved. That’s pretty much how I got here — a lot of effort, a lot of hard work,’’ Coleman said. “I’m not the biggest or the strongest or the fastest, but I can put myself in position to make it seem that way.’’

Lions’ CB Darius Slay excited for second straight Pro Bowl trip

His kids may even be happier

ALLEN PARK >> Darius Slay’s kids are so excited that their dad made the Pro Bowl for the second straight year, that they created a “Daddy Made the Pro Bowl” dance.

The three kids display quite the moves on Slay’s Instagram My Story. It’s not that their dad has been voted as one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL, as much as that it’s in Orlando and a trip to Disney World is part of the package.

“My kids are already hyped up … They’re ready. They’re already packed,’’ Slay said on Wednesday.

He is hyped too. Now in his sixth season, Slay longed to make it to the top echelon of NFL cornerbacks since he was a rookie. Back-to-back Pro Bowl nods show that others have noticed.

“It was a great honor, felt good, let me know folks are watching film and understanding and, like I said, I was excited and ready,’’ Slay said.

His numbers are down from last season when he had eight interceptions and 26 pass defenses. This season, with two games remaining, he has three interceptions and 15 pass defenses.

“My play been good, I had a couple few plays here, a few plays there, I had a few plays last year too,’’ Slay said. “Other than the picks, I think I played pretty well. Competing all the time at a high level.’’

Also this season, he scored his first touchdown returning an interception at Arizona two weeks ago. He was holding that football when he talked to the media on Wednesday and said it was going in a special place with his other memorabilia.

Slay has kept up his energy despite the Lions’ 5-9 record so far.

“Got great guys in the room I’ve got to go to war with, I enjoy going to war with, have fun doing it,’’ Slay said. “That’s how I keep it up.’’

He’s also happy that teammate Quandre Diggs has been voted as a Pro Bowl alternate.

“I thought it should be more but that’s how everybody sees it. Quandre is playing at an elite level and at 5-2 1/2 so that should give him more nod,’’ Slay said. “I’m proud of him, he works hard, One thing I know he’s going to go 100 percent every game.’’

Slay enjoys making fun of Digg’s height. He’s officially listed at 5-foot-9. He gets the job done with two interceptions, one touchdown, seven pass defenses and 55 tackles so far this season.

The Pro Bowl will be played on Jan. 27, the Sunday before the Super Bowl.

The Vikings, who are fighting for a wild-card playoff berth, are the next challenge for the Lions. Kickoff is at 1 p.m. on Sunday in the Lions final home game this season.

(Photo courtesy of Detroit Lions)