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'Humbling' Injury has Malik Jackson Hungry

Last year's big free agent signing was hurt in the season opener and didn't play again for the remainder of 2019

Malik Jackson was the big move both literally and physically for the Philadelphia Eagles defense in free agency last year.

The 6-foot-5, 290-pound defensive tackle signed a three-year, $30 deal to complement Fletcher Cox on the interior of the Eagles’ defensive line and make life miserable for the opposing quarterbacks on the schedule.

It never materialized, however, when Jackson went down late in the season opener against Washington with a Lisfranc injury.

Just like that, visions of forcing signal callers off their spots and speeding them up with what they hate the most, pressure right in their faces, went up in smoke.

The dream lives on for Eagles general manager Howie Roseman, who believes in building up front on both sides of the football. This year it was Javon Hargrave who signed the big deal in free agency to start opposite Cox with Jackson set to return as part of perhaps the most talented three-man DT rotation in the NFL.

The question is how do three eight-figure players co-exist?

The answer to that might be Jackson’s versatility as a player who has the length to kick outside, at least at times.

Vinny Curry remains a free agent and is unlikely to return leaving Brandon Graham, Derek Barnett and Josh Sweat as the key cogs for Jim Schwartz outside. If Jackson can muster 10-15 reps as a base end and 20-or-so more inside he would be a value-added piece of the defense where the goal should be getting the best players on the field.

In the NASCAR package, that would project to be Jackson and Cox inside with Graham and Barnett flanking them, but Schwartz's goal is always to keep everyone fresh for those important fourth-quarter reps.

The DC hasn't necessarily been able to do that in the past with Cox and now finally may have the ability to lighten the All-Pro's workload with the presence of both Jackson and Hargrave, along with Hassan Ridgeway as the fourth option.

It's also not hard to see Jackson giving the 30-plus Graham a breather at times as well.

Jackson gets the defensive end question a lot because of his length but admitted to SI.com in the past that he prefers to play inside, something he reiterated when talking with ESPN South Jersey on Wednesday.

"I'll do what they tell me," said Jackson. "My job is to come in here and play the game at a high level. If you're asking (me), I'd rather have a three-man rotation (inside) where I have been the last eight years."

Dating back to December of last year Jackson told SI.com that he would be ready for offseason work that doesn't exist now because of the COVID-19 pandemic but the veteran is progressing nicely and working out in California.

"I'm feeling great," he said. "(Tuesday) was my first day in cleats. It felt good, I should be ready for the season and camp."

Jackson already has checked most of the boxes in his career, a Super Bowl ring from his days in Denver,  big money in Jacksonville and again in Philadelphia, and personal accolades, but the desire remains strong and in some ways ignited even further by the first serious injury of his career.

"To have this type of injury has been humbling," said Jackson. "... it's just a resurgence of feelings that I'm just hungry again to get back out there and play the game at a high level and prove a lot of people wrong coming off this injury."

John McMullen covers the Eagles for SI.com and is the NFL Insider for JAKIB Media. You can listen to John every day on SIRIUSXM’s Tony Bruno Show with Harry Mayes, Every Tuesday and Thursday with Eytan Shander on SBNation Radio, and every weekday on ESPN 97.3 in South Jersey. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen