ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Buffalo Bills coach Sean McDermott says the situation that unfolded from the team claiming veteran cornerback Darius Slay is "unfortunate."
Slay hasn't reported to the Bills, and it is unlikely that he will as he contemplates retirement. He remains on the team's 53-man roster but is expected to be placed on reserve/did not report on Friday. That means the team will retain his rights, but he won't take up a spot on the active roster.
In a corresponding move, they claimed defensive back Darnell Savage, who most recently played in eight games with the Commanders after starting the season in Jacksonville.
In the process of claiming Slay on waivers Wednesday after he was cut by the Pittsburgh Steelers, Buffalo moved on from cornerback Ja'Marcus Ingram with the hope of eventually bringing him back but prepared for him to be claimed if that was the case. Ingram, however, was claimed by the Houston Texans.
"I'm a huge Ja'Marcus Ingram fan and will always be, so I'm always going to be in his corner and want the best for him," McDermott said Friday. "So that's really where my mind is right now, and get myself ready to coach this game."
Slay, 34, said on the "Speakeasy" podcast Thursday night that he had not reported to the Bills yet due to the stage of his career he is in and his desire to spend more time with his family. Per a source, the Bills had zero communication on Slay's interest ahead of claiming him as the league forbids communication between interested teams, players and their agents.
"Mostly, it's a family decision kind of to it," Slay said. "So we just see how it goes, though. But I'm going to take it day by day."
Slay did not commit either way when asked whether he would have reported to the Philadelphia Eagles. The defending Super Bowl champions also put in a waiver claim for Slay, a source confirmed to ESPN, but the Bills had the higher waiver priority. Slay went on to speak highly of the Bills organization but said it simply "caught" him at a bad time.
The idea of adding Slay for the Bills was part of the organization's process of always looking to bring in improved talent and insurance to the roster, before and after the trade deadline, as also seen in signing wide receiver Brandin Cooks the previous week.
McDermott declined to discuss whether he still anticipated Slay potentially playing for Buffalo.
"I'm really going to focus on our team right now," McDermott said. "So focus on our team and coaching this game in a couple days here, and I wish him the best, him and his family."
The Bills host the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, Fox) and will be without linebacker Terrel Bernard (elbow) and defensive end Joey Bosa (hamstring). Wide receiver Joshua Palmer (knee/ankle) is set to be listed as doubtful while tight end Dalton Kincaid (hamstring) and right tackle Spencer Brown (shoulder) are questionable.