The Pittsburgh Steelers are determined to break their eight-year playoff drought in 2025, and their offseason moves suggest a serious push for contention.
After trading for star wide receiver DK Metcalf, the team has now reinforced its defense by securing veteran cornerback Darius Slay in free agency.
Slay, fresh off a Super Bowl-winning season with the Philadelphia Eagles, has agreed to a fully guaranteed one-year, $10 million deal with Pittsburgh, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The Eagles released the six-time Pro Bowler shortly after their championship run to clear $4.3 million in salary cap space.
A second-round pick by the Detroit Lions in 2013, Slay spent seven seasons in Detroit before joining the Eagles in 2020.
Now entering his 13th NFL season, the 34-year-old remains one of the league’s top cornerbacks. In 2024, he posted a career-best 47.1 percent completion rate allowed in coverage, though his snap count dipped from 98 percent in 2023 to 81 percent last season, according to Pro Football Reference.
In Pittsburgh, Slay will help fill the void left by Donte Jackson’s departure and join a formidable secondary alongside Joey Porter Jr., Minkah Fitzpatrick, and DeShon Elliott.
While the Steelers have strengthened both sides of the ball, their quarterback situation remains unresolved.
With Justin Fields signing with the New York Jets, Pittsburgh is still weighing its options—most notably between Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson.
Rodgers has expressed interest in joining the Steelers, though negotiations have been slow, frustrating reporters more than the organization itself.
The New York Giants were initially seen as frontrunners for the four-time MVP, but his next move remains uncertain.
Regardless of who lines up under center, the addition of Metcalf—who will pair with George Pickens—could provide the Steelers with the offensive firepower needed to reestablish themselves as a postseason force.
