Detroit Lions: Please don’t take Darius Slay for granted

Let’s remember what we have

Objectively speaking, Darius Slay has been the best individual player on the team over the past three years. I’m not saying ‘Most Valuable’, or ‘Most Important’, or ‘Most Irreplaceable’. Going by league-wide reputation at his specific position though, Slay has pretty clearly been the best Lion.

He may have peaked in 2017, leading the league in interceptions and earning All-Pro first team, but with another two Pro Bowl selections in 2018 and 2019, Slay remains one of the best shutdown corners in the league.

Slay did get beat more often this year than previously, but how much of that is really a drop-off in skill, rather than the product of a nonexistent pass rush? Not only is Slay the team’s best and longest-tenured defensive player, he’s one of the more popular players among fans and one of the more active members of the Detroit community.

Yes it’s a business, and yes, Slay has been outspoken about his displeasure with how things are going. Who in their right mind would be happy with how things have been going in Detroit recently? To act like he’s an Antonio Brown level of distraction that needs to be dumped off for pennies on the dollar though, that’s beyond ridiculous.

Both on and off the field, let’s remember what we have. If Darius Slay is unhappy in Detroit, how about bending just a tiny bit to help change that?