The Philadelphia Eagles decided Wednesday to pick up the fifth-year option on defensive tackle Jordan Davis, committing to the former first-rounder despite his decreasing role in the defense.
Davis, selected out of Georgia in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, arrived in Philadelphia surrounded by high expectations that he has yet to fulfill as he enters his fourth season. Conditioning issues have hampered his development and limited his impact.
The massive nose tackle’s playing time tells the story of his career trajectory. In 2023, Davis participated in 45% of defensive snaps, but that figure dropped to 37% last season under defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer’s E.J. Smith. Davis found himself primarily deployed on early downs within Fangio’s defensive tackle rotation.
“The 6-foot-6, 336-pound nose tackle has proved to be stingy against the run and has started 39 games over the last four years as a result, but often comes off the field for passing situations in favor of more effective interior rushers,” writes Smith.
While Davis has registered just 3.5 career regular-season sacks, he did show flashes of pass-rush ability during last year’s playoff run, notching one sack in both the NFC Championship game and Super Bowl.
By exercising the option, the Eagles have committed a fully guaranteed $12.9 million to Davis for the 2026 season. The move signals that general manager Howie Roseman and the front office remain believers in Davis’ ability to elevate his performance in his critical fourth NFL campaign.
