Slay: I want to be paid like a top 7 cornerback

[tbone413]

http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2016/06/14/darius-slay-contract/85889354/

Darius Slay played like one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL last year. Now, he wants to get paid like one.

Slay, entering his fourth NFL season, said today that he hopes to finalize a long-term extension with the Detroit Lions this summer that will reward him for being one of the top seven cornerbacks in the league.

"I?m a top guy, that?s it," Slay said. "I ain?t no real cocky guy like that, but I?m just confident in my game and what I put on film. I?ve been very, very productive for the past two years. Every year I has got better, so I feel like this year is going to be the best year and I?m going to make that."

Asked what he meant by "top guy," Slay said he believes he ranks among the top seven cornerbacks in the NFL.

 

[boogerlovejoy]

http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2016/06/14/darius-slay-contract/85889354/

He puts up another season like last year, or better, and he'll get his money.

Elite, young CB's get paid.....EVERY time. Shut up and play ball, Slay!

 

[tbone413]

I like Slay, I think he has the right attitude, but I dont think he is a top 7 CB in the league yet. In order to be an elite CB you need to be able to completely lock down one side of the field, and Slay hasnt proven he can do that consistently (yet.)

FYI - the 7th highest paid CB going into 2016 is Janoris Jenkins, who just signed a contract for $12.5m/year. That will be your baseline in terms of what Slay will want.

That being said, I think the Lions need to pony up and pay the dude - he has potential and should be getting better, plus Detroit has shown time and time again that its damn hard to find a solid CB in the draft. I have lost count of how many misses they have had (Bill Bentley, Chris Greenwood, Jonte Green, Amari Spievey, etc.)

 

[tomdalton22]

"I?m a top guy, that?s it," Slay said. "I ain?t no real cocky guy like that, but I?m just confident in my game and what I put on film. I?ve been very, very productive for the past two years. Every year I has got better, so I feel like this year is going to be the best year and I?m going to make that."

He sounds brilliant

 

[atxlion82]

I think he needs to start having more int's to get that kind of money. He has played like a top 10 cb, but needs to create turnovers to be paid like Jenkins

 

[kdp1980]

Let him walk, spend a 1st round pick on a CB and HOPEFULLY he will get to the level Slay is playing at right now by year three or four. Then pay him more than what Slay is wanting right now. That'd be awesome!! Fucking pay the man

 

[inkfreq]

I don't think he IS a top 7 CB yet. He's headed on that trajectory though.

Don't see how you can take that gamble, unless you structure the base deal right, and add in elevator bonuses that could make him a top 3 if he earns it.

A base salary in the top 20 with bonuses that could go all the way to top 5 I can see.

 

[mhughes0021]

I put him on par with janoris Jenkins who probably also got overpaid. I don't see him as a top 7 cb...but he'll need to get paid like one if he has another good year and we want to keep him.

 

[everyoneneedsasmil]

This is the price of drafting well. The team should gladly pay it. There's no point in pretending the team could do better with the cap space, and continuity is more valuable than we tend to admit. If we let him go, we'd be looking for a new player just like him.

 

[sggatecl]

As long as it doesn't prevent them from extending Ansah, I'm for it.

 

[cheeno]

Pay him number 7 money, the cap keeps going up and CBs keep getting paid more and more every year. It will look like a bargain if he stays on his trajectory over the course of the contract.

 

[Mitchrapp]

Pay him number 7 money, the cap keeps going up and CBs keep getting paid more and more every year. It will look like a bargain if he stays on his trajectory over the course of the contract.

Pay him top 7 money when he's not top 7? 12.5m seems like a lot.

 

[mhughes0021]

Pay him top 7 money when he's not top 7? 12.5m seems like a lot.

Its not. Not anymore.

 

[SoCalLions]

Pay him number 7 money, the cap keeps going up and CBs keep getting paid more and more every year. It will look like a bargain if he stays on his trajectory over the course of the contract.

This and if the front office believes he is part of their long-term plans they should re-up sooner rather than later. Smarter front offices lock their guys up earlier. Look at the Pack, Patriots, etc. Better to get the ones you want to keep with a year or so left on their deals than wait for them to approach the FA market.

 

[sggatecl]

If you're not going to pay the draft picks you do hit on then what's the point of all this?

The Lions are not hurting at all for cap space. If they don't resign Slay/Ansah, the front office has failed miserably.

 

[kmd47]

In my best Teddy KGB voice..... "Pay that man his money....."

 

[LKP]

He was ranked second by pff. He deserves top 7. Franchise is an option though with ziggy on 5th year option. Warford,taylor,martin and riddick need deals too

 

[boogerlovejoy]

In my best Teddy KGB voice..... "Pay that man his money....."

Love Rounders.......haven't seen it in a few years.....I need to watch it again soon.

 

[kdp1980]

If you're not going to pay the draft picks you do hit on then what's the point of all this?

The Lions are not hurting at all for cap space. If they don't resign Slay/Ansah, the front office has failed miserably.

Spot on. Those two and Levy are who this defense should be built upon. I'd lose it if they let any of them walk at this point.

 

[everyoneneedsasmil]

If the team was particularly smart, they would sign him to a new contract now. They could front-loaded the contract for 2016 ( we have free cap space, and any bump from his rookie contract can pay forward) and make the overlap years (with Ansah) a lot easier.