Fletcher Cox

Fletcher Cox Reports To Eagles Minicamp

Just as the Eagles had hoped, Fletcher Cox has reported to the Eagles for the start of their mandatory June minicamp. The defensive tackle, who actually arrived on Monday, issued a statement to the press just minutes ago: Fletcher Cox (vertical)

I’m happy to be back in Philadelphia to get back to work with my teammates and coaches. I’m excited for this upcoming season and I can’t wait to get on the field for mini-camp this week, learn our new defense, and do whatever I can to help our team win. Any discussion about my absence from the offseason program or my contract will be handled privately between me, my agent and the Eagles organization,” Cox said in the statement.

[RELATED: Darren Sproles Reports To Eagles]

As a first-round pick in 2012, Cox is currently under contract for one more season, with a fifth-year option for 2016 worth $7.799MM. The Eagles, of course, do not want to see him test the open market next spring.

Marcell Dareus‘ contract with the Bills will likely be a point of comparison in the Cox extension talks, and the Cox could ultimately top that Dareus deal to become the second highest-paid defensive tackle in the league, behind Ndamukong Suh. Dareus’ contract with the Bills averages $15.85MM per year, with $60MM in total guarantees ($42.9MM fully guaranteed).

Cox skipped voluntary OTAs last month as the two sides wrestled over potential contract terms. Had Cox continued his holdout through this week, he would have faced upwards of $76K in fines. Eagles GM Howie Roseman is on record as saying Cox is a “huge part” of the team’s future, but it will cost Philly an awful lot to make that a reality. One report earlier this year claimed that the two sides were closing in on a long-term deal with more than $52MM in guarantees while another report indicated that no deal was close. Many weeks later, there’s still no agreement between the standout defensive lineman and Philadelphia.

Cox, still only 25, had arguably the best season of his four-year career in 2015, setting a new career high with 9.5 sacks. He also racked up 71 tackles, three forced fumbles, and a pair of fumble recoveries. The performance earned Cox his first Pro Bowl nod, along with a top-10 spot on Pro Football Focus’ rankings of interior defenders — the Eagles standout placed ninth out of 123 qualified players.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Eagles Rumors: Sproles, Cox, Pederson

Here’s a look at the latest out of Philly:

  • Darren Sproles reported to the Eagles on Monday in advance of the team’s mandatory minicamp, as Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. When asked about his absence, Sproles chalked it up to “family stuff.” Recently, we learned that the Eagles fielded trade inquiries for the running back during the draft and Sproles’ absence from OTAs – according to some reports – was related. Sproles, 32, saw time in every game last season and made four starts. In that span, the veteran ran for just 317 yards off of 83 carries but also contributed 55 receptions for 388 yards. For his contributions in the rushing, receiving, and return game, Sproles earned his second-straight Pro Bowl nod in 2015.
  • In related news, Eagles coach Doug Pederson says that he expects Fletcher Cox to also attend the team’s minicamp, though he has not seen him yet (Twitter link via Jimmy Kempski of The Philly Voice). Cox, 25, enjoyed a career-year in 2015, setting a new career high with 9.5 sacks. He also racked up 71 tackles, three forced fumbles, and a pair of fumble recoveries. The performance earned the former first-round pick his first Pro Bowl nod, along with a top-10 spot on Pro Football Focus’ rankings of interior defenders — he placed ninth out of 123 qualified players.
  • Tim McManus of Philadelphia Magazine explained why the talks are dragging on between the Eagles and Cox. For starters, agent Todd France knows that his client is one of the top defensive players in the game and at 25, he has tons of room to grow. France also reps Marcell Dareus, who netted a six-year deal with $25MM signing bonus and an average of $16MM per season. The Eagles know that they’ll have to back up a Brinks truck to sign Cox long-term, but the two sides are going to have to haggle it out a bit first. Meanwhile, multiple sources say that the Eagles have a sizable contract on the table, McManus writes, and he feels that the defensive tackle will get around $60MM guaranteed mark and won’t fall far from Dareus’ $16MM/year salary.

Eagles Expect Cox, Sproles To Report Soon

Eagles head coach Doug Pederson told reporters that he expects both Fletcher Cox and Darren Sproles to be in attendance next week, as Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets. Pederson added that GM Howie Roseman has been in contact with Cox’s agent while assistant coach Duce Staley has reached out to Sproles (Twitter link via Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer). 

Cox opted to skip voluntary workouts in May over dissatisfaction with his contract talks. Cox didn’t lose out on any money by staying away from OTAs, but he would be fined more than $76K if he did not attend June’s mandatory three-day minicamp. Roseman contends that Cox is a “huge part” of the team’s future, but the two sides will have to smooth out this contract situation for that to come to fruition. One report earlier this year claimed that the two sides were closing in on a long-term deal with more than $52MM in guarantees while another report indicated that no deal was close. Several weeks later, there’s still no agreement between the standout defensive lineman and Philadelphia.

Meanwhile, the Eagles reportedly fielded some trade inquiries on Sproles during the draft in April. The tailback did not report for OTAs and it was said that he was staying at home while the situation sorted itself out. For what it’s worth, Pederson said that he has no interest in trading Sproles and considers him to be an important part of the offense. Sproles currently sits as the team’s No. 2 back behind presumptive starter Ryan Mathews.

Cox, 25, enjoyed a career-year in 2015, setting a new career high with 9.5 sacks. He also racked up 71 tackles, three forced fumbles, and a pair of fumble recoveries. The performance earned the former first-round pick his first Pro Bowl nod, along with a top-10 spot on Pro Football Focus’ rankings of interior defenders — he placed ninth out of 123 qualified players.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

East Notes: Eagles, Jets, Washington

Eagles head coach Doug Pederson said Tuesday that he has reached out to Fletcher Cox multiple times, but he hasn’t spoken with the defensive lineman (link via Josh Paunil of PhillyMag.com). Cox, who has one year left on his contract, has been absent from the Eagles’ voluntary May workouts. If the two-time second-team All-Pro misses the club’s mandatory three-day minicamp in June, it’ll cost him upward of $76K.

More from the NFL’s two East divisions:

  • Though Jets receiver Eric Decker doesn’t seem thrilled with the idea of life after Ryan Fitzpatrick, he acknowledged Tuesday that the team will have to make the best of it if the free agent quarterback doesn’t re-up with Gang Green. “All I can say is we have to move on without him right now because they are stuck where they are with the business decision, where they want to go with the money, who’s going to break,” Decker told SiriusXM NFL Radio (per ESPN’s Rich Cimini). Decker had one of his best seasons in his first (and only?) year with Fitzpatrick in 2015, catching 80 passes for 1,027 yards and 12 touchdowns.
  • In holding out for a trade, Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford and agent Tom Condon made a rational business decision, opines Mike Sielski of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Bradford’s Eagles teammates understand his point of view, which is why they haven’t attacked him for seeking a better opportunity elsewhere, adds Sielski. “A player can get cut before his contract is up. Teams have no loyalty necessarily to their players. So when players make moves, it’s all business,” said safety Malcolm Jenkins
  • Some members of the Washington organization are wondering if safety Kyshoen Jarrett‘s career is over, according to Mike Jones of the Washington Post. Jarrett, a 2015 sixth-round pick, appeared in all 16 of the team’s games as a rookie, totaling 58 tackles and a forced fumble. He suffered nerve damage to his right shoulder and neck on a Week 17 hit, however, and still doesn’t have much feeling in his arm as a result. For now, the likelihood is that Jarrett will miss the upcoming season, Jones writes.

Fletcher Cox Absent From Eagles Workouts

Sam Bradford‘s dispute with the Eagles has garnered all the headlines in recent weeks, but, as Michael David Smith of PFT notes, the quarterback is now back at work while Fletcher Cox‘s holdout continues. Cox is not required to report for the voluntary May workouts, but his absence is certainly notable as we close in on June’s mandatory three-day minicamp. As Joel Corry of CBSSports (on Twitter) points out, Cox will be out more than $76K if he is not in attendance for those practices. Fletcer Cox (vertical)

Eagles executive vice president of football operations Howie Roseman says that Cox is a “huge part” of the team’s future, but the two sides will have to smooth out this contract situation for that to come to fruition. One report last month indicated that the two sides were closing in on a long-term deal that contains more than $52MM in guarantees while Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Inquirer heard that no deal was close. Roughly three weeks later, there’s still no agreement between standout defensive lineman and Philadelphia.

Cox, 25, enjoyed a career-year in 2015, setting a new career high with 9.5 sacks. He also racked up 71 tackles, three forced fumbles, and a pair of fumble recoveries. The performance earned the former first-round pick his first Pro Bowl nod, along with a top-10 spot on Pro Football Focus’ rankings of interior defenders — he placed ninth out of 123 qualified players.

The Mississippi State alum is scheduled to earn $7.799MM before hitting the open market after the 2016 season. The Eagles, of course, do not want to let Cox test the open waters.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Eagles Notes: Bradford, Cox, Front Office

The Eagles haven’t had any contact with Sam Bradford since the quarterback requested a trade, as head coach Doug Pederson tells Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link). Bradford, of course, asked out Philadelphia when it became clear that the Eagles would be drafting QB Carson Wentz No.2 overall. Even after the Broncos selected Paxton Lynch — a choice that seemingly knocked Denver out the veteran quarterback market — the Eagles still have yet to hear from Bradford, per McLane.

Here’s the latest out of Philadelphia…

  • The Eagles will take a “step back” after the draft before resuming their search for a head of personnel, says de facto GM Howie Roseman (Twitter link via McLane). Philadelphia reportedly halted its search for a personnel chief in Feburary, but did apparently offer the job to former scout and current NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah.
  • Defensive tackle Fletcher Cox is a “huge part” of the Eagles’ future, and the club plans to keep him around for the long haul, says Roseman (Twitter link via the Eagles’ website). Reports two weeks ago indicated that Cox and the Eagles are closing in on a long-term deal that contains more than $52MM in guarantees.
  • Roseman thought the Eagles might be able to address the defensive tackle position in the draft due to the depth of this year’s class, but the board didn’t fall in a way that worked out for Philadelphia, tweets Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Latest On Fletcher Cox, Eagles

The Eagles and standout defensive lineman Fletcher Cox are “closing in” on a long-term extension, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). Two sources tell Cole that if and when the two sides complete a deal, it will include upwards of $52MM in guaranteed money.Fletcher Cox

However, Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter links) spoke to a source who referred to the report on Cox as “untrue.” Bowen clarified that his source initially was denying that a deal between the two sides was done – whereas Cole’s report merely suggests that an agreement is close – but the Daily News scribe later added (via Twitter) that his source also emphatically denies that Cox and the Eagles are even close to a deal.

This isn’t the first time that a report has suggested Cox and the Eagles are nearing a multiyear agreement. Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com wrote nearly two and a half months ago, in early February, that the two sides were “close to a deal” that might include more than $50MM in guarantees. At the time, Cox took to Twitter to dismiss the story, so perhaps he’ll do so again in the wake of Cole’s report.

Still, there’s some reason to believe a contract agreement could be coming sooner rather than later for the 25-year-old. Cole suggests that the Eagles would like to see Cox participate in as much as possible of the team’s offseason program as the franchise transitions from former head coach Chip Kelly to his replacement, Doug Pederson. Cox has skipped Philadelphia’s voluntary workouts so far this month.

Eagles GM Howie Roseman also indicated on Monday that the team has zero interest in trading Cox, and is fully committed to locking him up, adding that he’s not worried about the club “winning” extension negotiations and getting Cox at a discount — he simply wants to keep the star defender around for the long term.

Cox had arguably the best season of his four-year career in 2015, setting a new career high with 9.5 sacks. He also racked up 71 tackles, three forced fumbles, and a pair of fumble recoveries. The performance earned the Mississippi State alum his first Pro Bowl nod, along with a top-10 spot on Pro Football Focus’ rankings of interior defenders — he placed ninth out of 123 qualified players.

As a first-round pick in 2012, Cox is currently under contract for one more season, with a fifth-year option for 2016 worth $7.799MM. However, if and when he and the Eagles get a new deal done, Cox will be in line for a sizable raise.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

NFC East Rumors: Eagles, Cox, Cowboys, Hoyer

The Eagles were reportedly in discussions with the Titans about a potential trade for the No. 1 pick before Tennessee sent that pick to Los Angeles. Asked today about how serious those talks were, Howie Roseman downplayed them, suggesting that his team was doing its “due diligence,” as Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes.

“I wouldn’t consider any discussions [serious] with any teams until you make deals,” Roseman, the de-facto Eagles GM, said. “I think it’s the same discussion with teams behind us. We’re having those discussions now. Teams in front us. We just have those conversations internally and weigh the cost-benefit of everything.”

While Roseman left the door open for plenty of trade possibilities, he shut at least one door, telling reporters today that the Eagles are “not trading” Fletcher Cox (Twitter links via Berman). Roseman made it clear that the team isn’t playing the “leverage game” with Cox, and plans on extending him and keeping him in Philadelphia for a long time.

Let’s check in on some other NFC East items….

  • The Cowboys wouldn’t mind landing a veteran backup for Tony Romo, and would have interest in Brian Hoyer “at the right price,” a source tells Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. However, Williams cautions that Hoyer will likely be able to get more money – and perhaps the chance to compete for a starting job – with another team.
  • In a conversation with TMZ Sports, free agent cornerback Antonio Cromartie admitted that his “dream choice” for his new team would be the Cowboys. “[Dallas] is very high on my list,” Cromartie said.
  • Jeff Heath‘s new four-year contract with the Cowboys is worth $7.671MM, including a $1.8MM signing bonus, writes Todd Archer of ESPN.com. The defensive back and special-teamer also saw his cap number for 2016 reduced a little, going from $1.671MM to $1.35MM.
  • John Keim of ESPN.com breaks down the keys to success for Washington in 2016, identifying some players to watch and suggesting that the team should address its defensive line in the draft.

NFC East Rumors: Cox, Brinkley, Romo, JPP

Having already extended the contracts of Vinny Curry, Lane Johnson, Zach Ertz, Malcolm Jenkins, and Brent Celek since their season ended, the Eagles would still like to get something done with Fletcher Cox, whose next deal may very well make him the team’s highest-paid player. Speaking to the media on Wednesday at the scouting combine in Indianapolis, de-facto general manager Howie Roseman called it a “huge priority” to lock up Cox, as Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer details.

“He’s a great player and he’s going to get great player money,” Roseman said. “And we’re not shy about saying that.”

Cox remains under contract with the Eagles for one more season, so the team isn’t under any immediate pressure to get something done with the standout lineman. As the two sides attempt to work on a deal, let’s round up a few other items from out of the NFC East….

  • Giants linebacker Jasper Brinkley is expected to hit the open market next month, according to James Kratch of NJ.com. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that he’ll sign elsewhere. A source with knowledge of the situation tells Kratch that the Giants have expressed interest in signing Brinkley and have had discussions with his representatives.
  • While there’s still no final decision on what type of collarbone surgery Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo will undergo, he’s expected to go under the knife within the next two weeks, a source tells Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. A Tuesday report indicated Romo is leaning toward a Mumford procedure, which involves shaving off or removing a portion of the distal clavicle.
  • Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul is likely focused on his next contract as he nears free agency, but he’ll have another issue on his plate in the near future. According to Julia Marsh of the New York Post, Pierre-Paul filed a lawsuit against ESPN and reporter Adam Schefter on Wednesday for publishing his medical records last year. The lawsuit contends that Schefter “improperly obtained” JPP’s medical chart, violating his medical privacy.

Eagles, Fletcher Cox Closing In On Extension?

1:14pm: Cox took to Twitter today, and while he didn’t directly address Shorr-Parks’ report, his tweet is presumably a response to that story.

“Can the reporters please stop the nonsense nothing is true to what they are reporting,” Cox tweeted. “SAD.”

Without any details, it’s hard to know what exactly Cox is disputing — if he’s right that “nothing is true” about Shorr-Parks’ story, that would mean the Eagles aren’t even working on an extension for the defensive lineman, which seems unlikely.

It was Shorr-Parks who reported last month that the Eagles were making an effort to lock up Curry, Johnson, and Ertz, and those deals all came together within the next couple weeks, so there’s no reason to think the NJ.com scribe is way off base here. So perhaps it’s just the notion that an extension is “close” that Cox is denying. If that’s the case, it remains to be seen whether Cox simply thinks no agreement is imminent or whether he feels there are major hurdles to clear before the two sides reach a deal.

For now, we’re in wait-and-see mode, though I’d be a little surprised if the Eagles don’t sign Cox to an extension at some point in the coming weeks.

8:16am: The Eagles have already locked up four players to contract extension since their season ended last month, but the team isn’t done yet, and the next deal will likely be the biggest yet. According to Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com, the Eagles and defensive lineman Fletcher Cox are getting close to an agreement that will lock up Cox for years to come.Fletcher Cox

[RELATED: Vinny Curry, Eagles agree to extension]

Cox, 25, had arguably the best season of his four-year career in 2015, setting a new career high with 9.5 sacks. He also racked up 71 tackles, three forced fumbles, and a pair of fumble recoveries. The performance earned Cox his first Pro Bowl nod, along with a top-10 spot on Pro Football Focus’ rankings of interior defenders — the Eagles standout placed ninth out of 123 qualified players.

As a first-round pick in 2012, Cox is currently under contract for one more season, with a fifth-year option for 2016 worth $7.799MM. However, if and when he and the Eagles get a new deal done, Cox will be in line for a sizable raise.

Citing two different people familiar with the extension negotiations, Shorr-Parks says that Cox could land a contract that features more than $50MM in guaranteed money, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if his average annual cap hit exceeds $15MM.

As Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap tweets, Marcell Dareus‘ deal with the Bills will likely be a point of comparison in the Cox extension talks, and the Eagle could ultimately exceed that Dareus contract to become the second highest-paid defensive tackle in the league, behind Ndamukong Suh. Dareus’ contract with the Bills averages $15.85MM per year, with $60MM in total guarantees ($42.9MM fully guaranteed).

If the Eagles do lock up Cox in the coming days or weeks – which it appears they will, unless talks fall apart in the late stages – he would be the fifth player this offseason to get a long-term deal from the team. Philadelphia has also extended tight ends Zach Ertz and Brent Celek, defensive end Vinny Curry, and offensive tackle Lane Johnson.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.