Darius Slay’s Departure from the Steelers

Darius Slay’s stint with the Pittsburgh Steelers has come to an end. The six-time Pro Bowler and the team agreed to part ways on Tuesday, wrapping up his time in the Steel City after just ten games.

On the same day, the Steelers activated Asante Samuel Jr. from the practice squad, adding him to the 53-man roster.

At 34, Slay was a healthy scratch in the Steelers’ recent 26-7 defeat to the Bills. He had also lost his starting position to James Pierre before Week 12’s game against the Bears.

Samuel saw action during the Bills game, particularly when Pierre was evaluated for a concussion.

Steelers manager Mike Tomlin commented, “It wasn’t really about Slay but rather about the opportunity to evaluate Samuel.” He expressed the importance of giving Samuel a shot before making further decisions, given the changes that tend to happen around this time of year.

Slay had joined the Steelers with a one-year, $10 million contract back in March, with high hopes for his role in the secondary. Unfortunately, things didn’t pan out as anticipated, with injuries and inconsistent performances taking a toll on his contributions.

Having played 13 seasons in the NFL, Slay was part of the team that won a Super Bowl with the Eagles last year. Now that he’s no longer with the Steelers, he is set to hit the waiver wire, making him available to any interested team as an unrestricted free agent.

Additionally, the Steelers have also placed wide receiver Adam Thielen on waivers.