The Buffalo Bills may not be parting ways with Darius Slay anytime soon, despite the veteran defensive back making it clear he doesn’t want to play in Buffalo.
The Bills claimed Slay on waivers after he was let go by the Pittsburgh Steelers, but Slay soon made it clear that he was not planning on reporting to the team. Despite facing some outside pressure to waive Slay and let him go on to a more preferred destination, the Bills placed him on the reserve list and don’t appear to be changing their plans anytime soon.
Sean McDermott Focused on Current Team
When asked about whether Slay could have a future with the team, Bills head coach Sean McDermott deferred to general manager Brandon Beane.
“No. If there is [an update], I don’t have it. That’s more of a [general manger] Brandon [Beane] question,” McDermott said, via SI.com.
When McDermott was pressed on whether the team could be trying to get the veteran defensive back to change his mind and suit up, the Bills coach grew visibly frustrated and again told reporters to ask the general manager
“You talking about Darius Slay? Yea, I’m not gonna answer questions about Darius Slay, respectfully,” McDermott said. “That’s a question for Brandon. I’m focused on our current team and this game this week.”
McDermott had already grown heated when talking about Slay’s initial arrival to the team, which led to the departure of a homegrown player. The Bills had brought on cornerback Ja’Marcus Ingram as an undrafted free agent from the University of Buffalo, developing him into a key reserve and special teams player, but they lost him when clearing a roster spot for Slay.
The Bills put Ingram on waivers, where he was claimed by the Houston Texans. McDermott told reporters earlier this month that they were hoping Ingram would clear waivers so he could return to the practice squad.
Bills Moving on From Darius Slay
The Bills don’t appear to be waiting on Slay to change his mind. The team claimed veteran safety Darnell Savage off waivers, providing some key depth after losses like Damar Hamlin.
The Bills are expected to use Savage in a variety of ways, with the potential to play on special teams. He has gained a reputation as a versatile player, saying after signing with the Jacksonville Jaguars that he values his ability to cover a lot of ground on the field.
âMy versatility. I can do a lot of different things,â Savage told Jacksonville.com. âI’ve been playing safety these past few years, but I really truly believe I can move around and just do anything on the defensive side of the ball.â
The Bills have gotten some strong play from their secondary in recent weeks. Despite some struggles against Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow last week, the Bills made two big plays when it mattered the most. Cornerback Christian Benford intercepted a pass and returned it for the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter, then the Bills intercepted Burrow again on the next offensive play.
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