According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Philadelphia Eagles have been able to bring back Fletcher Cox on a one-year deal worth $10M.
This is a slightly surprising move. Fletcher Cox played under a one-year deal worth $14M last year after previously being released to save cap space. During 2022, he was largely overshadowed by Javon Hargrave, but still put together an impressive campaign. Cox tallied 43 tackles and 7 sacks on the season and helped bridge the gap between Hargrave and rookie Jordan Davis. But with Davis now in the ranks, it was assumed that the Eagles would let both Cox and Hargrave go to retain some cap space.
That hasn’t happened.
The return of Fletcher Cox is big for the Eagles
Cox returning is big from a leadership standpoint. He’s clearly a vocal presence in the locker room and there is going to be an influx of young talent who could all benefit from him being around. A $10M cap-hit will see him making a similar amount to the likes of Sheldon Rankins and David Oneymata. Both of those players combined for 8 sacks last year, Cox had 7 on his own.
This is very much a team-friendly deal, with Cox now being paid like a mid-tier DT. He is still a starting-quality player and as Schefter mentioned, had other offers on the table. The fact he took a discount to stay with the team who drafted him all the way back in 2012 speaks volumes about just how appealing this team and city is right now.
Fletcher Cox is a six-time Pro Bowler & was a vital cog in both Super Bowl runs. I don’t think anyone can argue that a return for that kind of price is a brilliant move for both Cox and the team, and a huge shout to Cox for being willing to give up some salary to stick around.
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