The Pittsburgh Steelers lost a starting cornerback Monday on the first day of legal tampering, and they are negotiating with a six-time Pro Bowl player to replace him.
Donte Jackson, who was acquired in the trade last March that sent Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers, has agreed to a two-year, $13 million contract with the Los Angeles Chargers, ESPN reported.
Jackson, 29, started 15 games at cornerback in his first season with the Steelers, and he led the team with five interceptions. But Jackson was bothered by a back injury late in the season, and that could have led to the Steelers looking for his replacement.
On Monday, that search led them to Darius Slay, who will become a free agent once he officially is released by the Philadelphia Eagles. Fox Sports reported that Slay has agreed to terms with the Steelers.
The Jackson and Slay deals won’t become official until at least Wednesday when the NFL calendar begins.
Slay spent seven seasons with the Detroit Lions and five with the Eagles, winning a Super Bowl in 2024. He has made 167 starts in his career, including 14 last season. He was scheduled to count $13.765 million against Philadelphia’s salary cap, and he is being released so the Eagles could groom younger players at cornerback.
“I know I’m 34. I know I’m way out of my prime but still playing at an elite, elite level,” Slay said on his Big Play Slay podcast after being informed he would be released.
Slay’s contract with the Eagles will count as $22.706 million in dead money unless he is released with a post-June 1 designation. That would reduce the amount of dead money against the Eagles to $9.441 million.
Slay would start opposite corner Joey Porter Jr., who will be paired with a different cornerback partner for the third year in a row.
Slay has 28 career interceptions, including a career-high eight with the Lions in 2017 when he was a first-team All-Pro pick for the only time in his career. He didn’t have any last season. He made the Pro Bowl as recently as 2023.
The Steelers could continue to address the position in free agency and the NFL Draft. The Steelers also are developing third-year corner Cory Trice Jr., who has been limited to six games and one start in two seasons because of injuries.
