Teams have called the Eagles to inquire about the possibility of trading for DT Fletcher Cox, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports. Those clubs are attempting to acquire Cox for a mid- to late-round selection, but Rapoport says GM Howie Roseman would require a “high” pick to pull the trigger.
Philadelphia selected Cox, who will turn 31 in December, with the No. 12 overall pick of the 2012 draft. He is well-established as a franchise icon, having earned six consecutive Pro Bowl nods from 2015-20, one First Team All-Pro selection (2018), and, of course, a Super Bowl ring. The club furnished him with a six-year, $103MM contract in 2016, but his best days seem to be behind him.
Cox is mired in something of a down year, and he has publicly complained about the scheme that defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon is running. With the 2-5 Eagles unlikely to make a postseason run in 2021, it stands to reason that Roseman would at least entertain calls from contenders looking to fill a hole on the interior of their defensive lines.
However, the Eagles did restructure Cox’s contract earlier this year, which could make him virtually untradeable. Although the restructure bought Philadelphia a fair amount of cap relief this season, it pushed a great deal of guaranteed money into future seasons, and a trade would leave a considerable dead cap charge on the Eagles’ books. And if Roseman is going to absorb that type of hit, he is only going to do it for a Day 2 selection, which other clubs might view as a prohibitive cost in light of Cox’s disappointing 2021 effort.
The Eagles might also consider trading DE Derek Barnett, as Eliot Shorr-Parks of 94WIP.com tweets. Barnett, a 2017 first-rounder, has yet to record a sack in 2021, but teams are always in search of edge help, and as Barnett is eligible for free agency this offseason, Roseman may be willing to swing a deal.
*laughs in dead cap*
That’s one drawback from restructuring contracts to gain cap space; if you later want to sell off assets, you’re going to have to lose money to do it.
Cox is no longer the player he once was – thus the Eagles should trade him to a pretender for picks.
To take a huge cap hit for a pick in the 4-7 round range? No thank you!
Hope he never took a ‘hometown discount’ for the Eagles.
Because teams are calling the Eagles and checking in on his availability?
I’d give up a 4th for him.
Dump Barnett, outside of falling into a sack today he’s done nothing to warrant his paycheck or even make you think he’s trying to justify it.
Here is what they need to do.
Maybe if the eagles remembered how to blitz before yesterday they could have showcased these players mentioned.
Barnett has been bust before this season, and as much as everyone loves him Fletch has been fading as well. Both guys have shown little effort this year.