The trade deadline nears. Not every player tossed in the rumor mill will be spit out wearing a new jersey.
Detroit Lions cornerback Darius Slay has been one player discussed who could possibly be available at the deadline. The two-time Pro Bowler and former All-Pro will likely want a new contract this offseason and has missed two games due to injury.
With teams like the Philadelphia Eagles badly needing corner help after missing out on the Jalen Ramsey sweepstakes, speculation about a CB like Slay potentially being available has swirled.
If he's to get plucked from Detroit, a team is going to pay, heavily.
NFL Network's Mike Garafolo said on Good Morning Football Tuesday that the asking price for Slay remains "incredibly high."
How high is incredibly high?
Garafolo adds the Lions have let it be known to teams that compensation would have to be close to what the Los Angeles Rams gave up for Ramsey, per sources informed of the situation.
Ramsey went for two first-round picks and a fourth-rounder.
Perhaps it's posturing by the Lions to get a better deal. Perhaps it's a signal they have zero desire to move their top corner.
No offense to Darius Slay, who remains a very good defensive back and a key part of Matt Patricia's defense, but no team is coming even close to surrendering the draft capital it took to get Ramsey. Detroit would also be foolish to give away its top defensive back for anything less than a top-shelf offer -- we saw how that group got carved up by Daniel Jones sans Slay Sunday.
Like all things in the NFL, the trade deadline is about leverage. The Lions have leverage over CB-needy teams to ask for an arm and a leg -- and maybe even a wing.
If the asking price doesn't dip before the 4 p.m. ET trade deadline, Slay will remain a Lion for the rest of the season.
