Philadelphia Eagles: Madden 23 does right by Darius Slay

It’s that time of year again, Philadelphia Eagles fans: Madden SZN.

Ratings are dropping, new gameplay elements are being announced, and fans the football/video gaming world over are readying themselves to spend $60 – $70 if you are a Gen 9 gamer – for what effectively amounts to a roster update.

Is it low-key a bit of a racket? You bet, but hey, there isn’t another player in Madden 22 with the same athletic profile as Jordan Davis – believe me, I’ve looked – so a thrifty gamer can’t even justify holding off until a midseason sale because the old product won’t provide the “realistic” experience.

Furthermore, how will fans memorize the schedule or know when the Bye Week comes around, which is Week 7, by the way? For better or worse, Madden has become a core part of the NFL experience for more than a few fans, and thus, stories like this exist

Fortunately, if there’s one member of the Philadelphia Eagles roster who has to feel pretty darn pleased with his rating heading into the 2022 NFL season, it’s Darius Slay, as he’s entering the season as the fourth-ranked cornerback in the NFL.

Philadelphia Eagles fans should be excited about Darius Slay’s on-screen excellence.

Darius Slay is one of the most unique performers in the NFL. He’s faster than most wide receivers, taller than most too, and if you ask him, he should probably be playing a few snaps on the offensive side of the ball, too; an aspect of the game Nick Sirianni finally indulged last season.

Strand him on one side of the field, and opposing teams stop throwing there. Have him shadow an opposing team’s top receiver, and suddenly, their offense looks a whole lot more democratic than usual.

Heck, Slay is so good he can’t even be schemed out of plays like some “cyclone” zone-press corners, as he locks things down in man and in zone equally well and can remain competitive even if he doesn’t press at the line of scrimmage.

In an increasingly pass-happy league where wide receivers are making $20 million a year, what better way to remain competitive than to take that advantage away?

Madden ratings are a funny thing; when a player is rewarded with a “good” rating early on, fans celebrate it like a Week 1 win. When they aren’t good, fans – and even players – take to social media to air their grievances. And yet, when the season officially opens up, that rating won’t particularly matter. No, what will matter is how a player performs when the live bullets are flying and the games can’t end early with a rage quit. Fortunately, Darius Slay is just as good on the real field as the virtual one, which should make Philadelphia Eagles fans very happy indeed.