It was learned Monday that Darius Slay is set to be released by the Eagles. The same is true of another veteran of the team’s secondary.
James Bradberry has been informed he will be let go, as ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler first reported. 2025 is a void year on Bradberry’s pact, and he was set to count $5.2M on the cap. This move will prevent the Eagles from paying out a $4.85M option bonus due on Sept. 1. Philadelphia will use a post-June 1 designation, Fowler adds, meaning the team will create $2.1M in cap savings while generating a dead money charge of just over $3M.
Bradberry joined the Eagles in 2022 and partnered with Slay to give the team a highly effective cornerback tandem. Starting all 17 games, the former Panther and Giant earned a second-team All-Pro nod and was expected to remain a key member of the secondary as a result. The following year, however, Bradberry’s coverage saw a notable decline as he allowed 11 touchdowns and a passer rating of 114.3 as the nearest defender.
As a result of that drop-off, the Eagles made several moves at the cornerback position (highlighted by the selections of Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean in the first two rounds of the 2024 draft). That set Bradberry up to transition to safety in 2024, but he did not play this past season. The 31-year-old recently revealed his absence was due to a summer Achilles tear, an injury he said he expects to recover from in time for OTAs this spring fully.
Bradberry also made it clear he intends to resume playing cornerback with his next team, although he does not figure to have a strong market over the coming weeks. His release will not be processed until the new league year begins on March 12, but Fowler notes his agent has received permission to speak with teams immediately. An agreement could, therefore, be reached before Bradberry officially becomes a free agent.
The possibility of Slay once again working out a last-minute deal to remain with the Eagles has been mentioned in the wake of his release. Presuming he moves on, the team will have Mitchell, DeJean and Kelee Ringo on their rookie contracts at the CB position. Bradberry will turn his attention to joining a fourth career team, and his willingness to play at safety could be a factor in determining where he lands on the open market.
