Lions' Slay: 'I can cover anybody on this planet'

Darrelle Revis can have his island. Darius Slay wants a planet.

Slay, the Detroit Lions' third-year cornerback was having a light moment with his former Lions teammate, current NFL Network analyst Nate Burleson, after practice Wednesday night at Novi High School when the two lined up against each other as if they were competing in one-on-one drills again.

As Slay sauntered off the field trading fun-loving barbs with Burleson about who'd outshine who on the field, a reporter asked if he could still cover the 33-year-old receiver.

"I can cover anybody on this planet," Slay said. "I am The Earth. Call me The Earth."

As in, bigger than Revis Island?

"I'm The Earth," Slay said. "But Big Play Earth."

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Slay, whose "Big Play Slay" nickname is ingrained in his Twitter handle, had a breakout season last year, making 16 starts and intercepting two passes to help the Lions to an 11-5 record.

The Lions are counting on even bigger contributions from Slay in the secondary this year and, a week into training camp, he hasn't disappointed.

"I think (camp is) going pretty good," Slay said. "I'm continuing to grow, 1% at a time. I ain't trying to be out there crazy, but I'm just trying to get better every day."

Slay was at his best late in the season last year, when he out-dueled Dez Bryant in the Lions' playoff loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

Never known to lack confidence, Slay said Wednesday that he doesn't really want to be known by a new nickname.

"No, my name's Big Play Slay," he said. "That's my nickname. That's all day, every day. I'm just, 'Hey, I'm Big Play.' That's all I do, I try to make big plays."

Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.

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