Eagles Bring Back Another Homegrown Veteran, Sign Fletcher Cox
Fletcher Cox’s salary keeps going down, but his value to the Eagles does not.
The veteran defensive tackle has agreed to return for a 12th season, coming to terms on a one-year deal worth $10 million on Wednesday evening. Adam Schefter was first with the news.
Last year, the Eagles released Cox but, within 48 hours brought him back on a one-year worth $14M.
Schefter said Cox had offers for more money this year but gave the team a "hometown discount."
There’s really no way to put a price tag on locker room leadership, and Cox is fantastic in that area. So are Brandon Graham and Jason Kelce, each of whom will also be back after the Eagles handed them one-year deals within the last week.
Those three, along with right tackle Lane Johnson, have been together since their careers began around the same time.
Cox was drafted in the first round back in 2012, two years after Graham, a year after Kelce, and a year before Johnson.
It’s an NFL rarity that four players have played a decade together on the same team that drafted.
Cox and Graham have dressed in lockers next to each other at the team's practice facility for what seems like forever. Cox joked at one late-season press conference that people refer to them as a married couple.
It was believed that 2023 would bring about a divorce, but, clearly, that wasn't the case.
Cox’s return comes just days after the Eagles lost Javon Hargrave in free agency to the San Francisco 49ers.
At 32, Cox was helped by a deep defensive line rotation this past season, which allowed him to remain fresh and more effective. He played 65% of the defensive snaps in 17 games, which was his fewest since 2017 when he played 59% in 15 games.
His seven sacks were the most since he put up a career-high 10.5 in 2018 when he was 28.
Cox has been relatively healthy his entire career and has made 167 starts.
He is a four-time All-Pro selection and has made six Pro Bowls, which are the most ever by an Eagles defensive tackle.
His 65 career sacks put him fifth on the franchise’s all-time sacks list and are the most of any DT that has worn an Eagles uniform.
He has played in 173 career games with Philadelphia, which is the third-most of any Eagles defensive player, behind Brian Dawkins at 183 and Graham at 178.
He and Graham will now continue to climb the franchise records list.
Cox’s return is also a big boost to the Eagles’ defensive line, which now includes him, Milton Williams, Jordan Davis, and Marlon Tuipulotu, along with Marvin Wilson, who signed a one-year deal after the season for $750K.
Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.com’s Fan Nation Eagles Today and co-host of the Eagles Unfiltered Podcast. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles or www.eaglestoday.com and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.
