Getty Eagles' Haason Reddick #7 celebrates with Fletcher Cox #91 after recovering a fumble against the 49ers.
Over the past two NFL Draft classes, Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman has invested significant resources in building out a disruptive two-deep along the interior of the defensive line.
Jalen Carter, chosen by the Eagles No. 9 overall in last spring’s draft, is well on his way to becoming a top Defensive Rookie of The Year candidate, while Jordan Davis is becoming a behemoth against the run with 37 tackles and 2.0 sacks one year after being chosen No. 13 overall.
Selecting Carter and Davis out of the University of Georgia the past two seasons underscores Roseman and the Eagles’ organizational philosophy of prioritizing dominance along both lines of scrimmage. Those two picks also keep two key contributors on team-friendly rookie contracts for up to the first five years of their careers.
Meanwhile, Carter and Davis’ emergence could allow Roseman and the Eagles to move on from veteran All-Pro Fletcher Cox, and his high-priced contract, to keep building out the roster elsewhere.
That’s exactly what former NFL Executive of The Year Jeff Diamond suggests the Eagles could do, listing Cox as one of 12 players around the league who could be allowed to walk at season’s end.
“Philadelphia Eagles GM Howie Roseman is the master of using voidable deals to keep aging stars,” Diamond wrote for the 33rd Team. “And the Eagles somehow enter 2024 with $28.3 million in cap space. I’m sure he’d love to find a way to keep 2012 first-round pick Fletcher Cox as a team leader for the immediate future.
“The Eagles drafted DTs Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter in the past two first rounds. That makes it likely Cox won’t be re-signed if he’s looking for anything close to the $10 million he’s being paid.”
Cox remains a respected veteran presence on the Eagles defense, has a Super Bowl ring on his finger, and is in the midst of a productive season, already posting 24 total tackles with four sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery through 12 games.
“Cox is still a productive player,” Diamond writes. “And, he’ll get signed elsewhere as a rotational defensive lineman similar to Calais Campbell. It could happen in Philadelphia if Cox agrees to a significant pay cut. But Cox turns 33 years old next week, and it’s time for Davis (2.5 sacks, 32 tackles) and Carter (4.0 sacks, 26 tackles) to be the Eagles’ long-term starters at defensive tackle.”
Fletcher Cox Calls on Eagles’ Leaders to ‘Step Up’
Suddenly the Eagles are facing some major adversity one year after racing to the top of the NFC and into the Super Bowl.
After falling to the Dallas Cowboys, the Eagles slipped from the No. 1 seed in the conference and from their perch atop the NFC East, all the way to the No. 5 seed with four games remaining.
Losers of two consecutive games against the Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers, teams they very well could face as late as the NFC Championship Game, the Eagles need their veterans to steady the ship.
“I’ve been part of teams where the dudes in the locker room do something about it, and I’ve been part of teams where it kind of crumbles,” Cox said, via Martin Frank of the Delaware News Journal. “Now it’s time to see the real leadership and the real players, the guys that are elite on this team, myself included, step up and do something about it and get this team another win.”
Cox and the Eagles will aim to get back on track Monday night against the Seattle Seahawks.
Big Issue Facing Eagles
If the Eagles are going to turn things around, beginning against the Seahawks, it might take some big changes on offense.
Slow starts have plagued the Eagles recently, and it might take some big schematic changes.
According to ESPN’s Tim McManus, the Eagles are “averaging just 6.3 points in the first half over their past three games, which ranks 28th. Meanwhile, their average second-half scoring both over that span (14.7 PPG) and the season (14.1) is near the top of the league.”
As ESPN points out, quarterback Jalen Hurts has been missing throws in recent weeks, as well, ranking 25th in wide-open throw percentage (20%).
Finding new ways to get secondary receiving options open or to get Hurts into a rhythm early might prove critical to the Eagles salvaging their season.