The Philadelphia Eagles have lost numerous players from their NFC Championship-winning squad a season ago during the early stages of NFL free agency.
One player that isn’t going anywhere is six-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle and franchise legend Fletcher Cox.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Cox has opted to return to the City of Brotherly Love on a one-year, contract. It will represent his 12th season with the Eagles. Reports indicate that he took a “hometown discount” to return. The deal is said to be worth $10 million.
This move comes after Philadelphia lost fellow Pro Bowl defensive tackle Javon Hargrave to the San Francisco 49ers on a big-money contract. It’s also safe to say that the Eagles will be relying on 2022 first-round pick Jordan Davis to play a large role next to Cox next season.
- Fletcher Cox stats: 486 tackles, 156 QB hits, 150 tackles for loss, 65 sacks, 15 forced fumbles
Cox, 32, has seen a downtick in production since being one of the top defenders in the NFL from 2014-20. Though, he did record a four-year high seven sacks to go with 14 quarterback hits this past season.
It’s important for the Philadelphia Eagles to have some continuity on defense after coordinator Jonathan Gannon departed to become the Arizona Cardinals’ next head coach. Re-signing Fletcher Fox and James Bradberry are two recent moves that speak to this.
Unfortunately, Philadelphia also had to release Pro Bowl cornerback Darius Slay earlier on Wednesday after being unable to trade the high-priced cornerback.
Related: Philadelphia Eagles re-sign star cornerback in NFL free agency
As of right now, Philadelphia has lost multiple key contributors on one of the best defenses in the NFL from a season ago.
- Javon Hargrave, defensive tackle
- T.J. Edwards, linebacker
- Kyzir White, linebacker
- Darius Slay, cornerback
- Marcus Epps, safety
At the very least, the Eagles were able to retain one of their longest-tenured players and a true fan favorite in Philly.