When the Steelers signed Darius Slay, many anticipated him to tackle one thing of a mentorship position. Contemplating the younger cornerbacks on the roster, together with Joey Porter Jr. and Cory Trice Jr., many see Slay as somebody who can educate them just a few issues. Now, with all of the expertise within the room, Slay is hoping to be taught just a few issues himself.
“I’m at all times prepared to be taught man, that’s one factor about me,” Slay stated Wednesday on NFL Community’s Inside Coaching Camp. “I’m by no means a man that’ll say, ‘Oh I’ve performed this lengthy, so I do know greater than you.’ I’m extra of a man that’s like, ‘No matter you do nice that I wanna put to my recreation, I’m gonna attempt to use that as properly.’ With these guys right here, that I’m enjoying with proper now with Jalen Ramsey and Joey Porter, man I can be taught quite a bit from these two.”
Slay’s already serving to a few of his youthful teammates out. He’s taking up a mentorship position with Porter and has spoken a number of occasions this summer time about some areas of Porter’s recreation he’d like to assist clear up. Slay’s wealth of expertise may also assist children like Trice and Beanie Bishop Jr.
Regardless of being 34, Darius Slay is true that he can be taught quite a bit from Ramsey and Porter. He calls himself a flexible cornerback and is prepared to play wherever he’s wanted. In Ramsey and Porter, if he desires to be taught something it is going to probably have one thing to do with physicality. Porter’s not afraid to make use of his fingers, which has gotten him in some hassle at occasions. Ramsey himself is among the extra bodily cornerbacks within the recreation and has been for fairly a while.
Slay has realized a lot all through his profession, and he’s nonetheless enjoying at a excessive degree regardless of now being in his mid-30s. Final 12 months he allowed a career-low 54.7-percent completion share and a stable 81.9 passer ranking when focused. He didn’t make a ton of tackles, with 49, however that’s regular for a cornerback. Impressively, he was extraordinarily environment friendly as a tackler, lacking simply 3.9 p.c of his makes an attempt.
This cornerback room appears to be in glorious form. The Steelers have three high quality starters in Darius Slay, Porter, and Ramsey. Behind them is Brandin Echols, who’s versatile himself. After which there’s two youthful gamers with potential in Trice and Bishop. It has a terrific argument to be thought of probably the most safe place on the roster. If they’ll be taught from one another, as Slay hopes, it’d get even higher.
