NFL Trade Rumors: 5 Teams that should trade for Darius Slay

DETROIT, MICHIGAN - NOVEMBER 28: Darius Slay #23 of the Detroit Lions celebrates his second half interception against the Chicago Bears at Ford Field on November 28, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. Chicago won the game 24-20. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - NOVEMBER 28: Darius Slay #23 of the Detroit Lions celebrates his second half interception against the Chicago Bears at Ford Field on November 28, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. Chicago won the game 24-20. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /
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Darius Slay, NFL Trade Rumors (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
Darius Slay, NFL Trade Rumors (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /

The Detroit Lions are reportedly shopping a Darius Slay trade early in the 2020 offseason, so which NFL teams should make a move for the cornerback?

One of the hot names at the 2019 NFL trade deadline was Detroit Lions cornerback Darius Slay. However, a deal never materialized and he finished the year in the Motor City as part of a team that finished with the third-worst record in the league. But as the 2020 NFL offseason and trade rumors start to heat up, the possibility of the Pro Bowl cornerback being moved is on the table again.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Monday, the Lions have “spoken with multiple teams about a potential trade” that would involve Darius Slay. As Schefter noted, any franchise looking to deal for the cornerback would not only have to adequately compensate Detroit for a great player but would also have to work out a new deal with Slay, who is in the final year of his current contract.

Having to both give up some sort of compensation — likely draft capital — while also handing out a contract that Spotrac estimates will have an annual average salary of $14.9 million does not make trading Slay easy. However, this is one of the better and most consistent cornerbacks in the league at 29 years old and plenty of teams are in need of upgrading the secondary.

So then, with a Darius Slay trade seemingly on the table for the Lions at this point, which five NFL teams should be looking to make a deal with Detroit? (Note: All salary cap figures courtesy of Over the Cap.)

5. Miami Dolphins

Considering the teardown that the Miami Dolphins have undergone, there are few places their roster doesn’t need to upgrade. Lucky for them, they have an immense stockpile of draft picks and the most salary cap space of any team in the NFL to try and fill the holes on this team.

While cornerback Xavien Howard is the second-largest cap hit on the roster, right now, the Dolphins have $89.39 million to spend this offseason if they choose to, meaning they have a blank slate to work with and could easily work out a new long-term deal for Slay to help give a secondary that was abysmal last season a huge boost.

What’s more, the Dolphins — as mentioned — have plenty of assets in the draft to potentially deal the Lions in any trade for Darius Slay. The big question, however, is whether or not Miami general manager Chris Grier would be interested in acquiring a 29-year-old veteran at this stage of the rebuild.