GLENDALE, AZ - OCTOBER 26: Defensive end Fletcher Cox #91 of the Philadelphia Eagles during the NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at the University of Phoenix Stadium on October 26, 2014 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
There has been a ton of speculation this summer about Fletcher Cox. The All-Pro defensive tackle is recovering from offseason foot surgery and hasn’t practiced much. Will he be on the field for Week 1 against the Redskins?
Eagles GM Howie Roseman attempted to shed some light on the subject Saturday in his post-cutdown press conference. The team only kept four defensive tackles on the 53-man roster: Cox, Malik Jackson, Tim Jernigan, Hassan Ridgeway. That seems to indicate that the Eagles feel Cox will be fully ready to suit up for the season opener. Roseman confirmed it, without really saying it.
“Yes, I this I that would be fair. I was trying to think of something funnier, but I didn’t have anything,” Roseman told reporters.
Cox has reiterated throughout training camp and the offseason that he would be back. Eagles head coach Doug Pederson also tried to reassure everyone on Cox’s status at the conclusion of the preseason.
“He’s still getting his workouts in, and he’s been going through all our walkthroughs and getting the mental side of it, and so it leads me to believe that he’ll be ready,” Pederson told reporters. “Fletcher’s a guy that knows how to prepare, knows how to get himself ready, and I would have no concern if that was the case.”
Eagles Own One of Oldest Rosters in NFL
Experience wins out, right? According to Philly Voice, the Eagles have the second-oldest roster in the NFL in an unofficial study tracking the ages of the players on all 32 rosters. The team’s average is 26.6 years old and ranks slightly ahead of the New England Patriots at 27.0. For a point of reference, the Eagles had the ninth-oldest roster the year the won the Super Bowl.
To note, “old” doesn’t mean “bad,” especially for a team like the Patriots, who are Super Bowl contenders every year,” noted Jimmy Kempski. But certainly, you don’t want to be old and bad, like some of the teams on the chart above. And obviously, teams that are both young and talented can feel pretty good about their long-term chances of being consistent contenders.
Treyvon Hester Hits the Waiver Wire
The hero of the fabled “Double Doink” play in last year’s playoff win over the Bears was cut from the 53-man roster and hit the waiver wire. While the Eagles would love to bring him back on the practice squad, it seems highly unlikely Hester will clear waivers. Another team will surely sign the talented defensive tackle. Eagles GM Howie Roseman confirmed it was one of the toughest decisions the team had to make.
“I think that when you talk about Treyvon, you’re right, Treyvon is an NFL-caliber player and that was a hard cut,” Roseman told reporters. “Again, I think that when you do this and you try to build a 90-man roster and you try to build a 90-man roster that’s really competitive and that has 90 guys who get an opportunity to play in the National Football League, it all sounds well and good until you get to this point and then you actually have to cut guys who have a chance of getting claimed and losing them and then you don’t feel so good.”
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