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There is no shortage of NFL rumors this time of year. The NFL Scouting Combine is in the rear-view mirror and franchise tags are about to be slapped on key players. Next up? Free agency. Which begins on March 15 at 4 p.m., with the “legal tampering period” starting on March 13. So, yes, it is bound to be a hectic few days around the league.
The Philadelphia Eagles have 19 unrestricted free agents to make final decisions on. General manager Howie Roseman has already admitted it’s going to be nearly impossible to bring everyone back. One of the guys who seems destined for a new area code in 2023 is Fletcher Cox. The six-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle is coming off his best season since 2018: 7 sacks, 14 quarterback hits, 1 forced fumble, and 1 fumble recovery. He will find a happy home.
The Athletic’s Zack Rosenblatt — a quality reporter who once covered the Eagles’ beat — included Cox in a list of “22 intriguing names” for the New York Jets to consider in free agency. He wrote the following about Cox:
Cox has spent his entire 11-year career with the Eagles, but he might finally break free. And if he does, Douglas (who previously worked as Philadelphia’s vice president of player personnel) knows better than most what Cox can do. Playing for a Jets team that rotates its defensive linemen might be appealing for a 32-year-old entering the twilight of his career. Cox is still a quality defensive tackle even as he ages, getting seven sacks and 14 QB hits last season.
The Douglas he is referring to is Jets general manager Joe Douglas. He spent three seasons as vice president of player personnel for the Eagles and played an integral role in putting together the 2017 Super Bowl team. He was widely considered to be Roseman’s right-hand man in Philly, so it’s natural to assume he might be interested in Cox. He certainly knows everything there is to know about the player, on and off the field.
Derrick Henry Could Make Sense for Eagles
Derrick Henry to the Eagles sounds crazy, right? It’s a pipe dream. The $50 million rusher doesn’t seem to align with what the team likes to do offensively. He is not a strong receiver out of the backfield, plus his injury history is well-documented.
But, what if the Eagles could concoct an incentive-laden deal to and utilize his ground-and-pound style in small doses? It could be a winning formula, something that Bryan Cameron of Philadelphia Sports Network recently threw out there.
“Bringing Henry to Philly will lower his usage and allow him to be somewhat rested,” Cameron wrote. “The Eagles are a pass-first offense that will use the run game to wear down defenses in the second half. While the offense is heavily filled with RPO plays, having a player like Henry that can break tackles and be a huge threat would be a plus.”
It’s an intriguing thought. Henry rushed for 1,538 yards on a league-high 349 carries with 13 touchdowns in 2022. He is due $10.5 million in 2023, but he’s a free agent after his Titans’ contract expires. The Eagles could get him to restructure and work something out for future seasons.
C.J. Gardner-Johnson Headed for Franchise Tag?
The expectation is the Eagles will slap the franchise tag on safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson ahead of the 4 p.m. deadline on March 7. That would put them on the hook for roughly $14.46 million for the 2023 campaign. The other option is for the team to work out a long-term extension with Gardner-Johnson, but talks on that front have been scant in recent weeks. Stay tuned.
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