Special Player

Posted: June 7th, 2015 | Author: | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 51 Comments »

It would be really cool if the Eagles had been able to pull off a deal for QB Marcus Mariota. That didn’t happen and I am glad for one big reason…Fletcher Cox is still an Eagle.

In the lead-up to the draft, we began to hear rumors about the Eagles possibly including Cox in a move to get the second overall pick. He is the team’s best player so I can easily understand teams asking about him, but I don’t believe the Eagles included him in any real offers.

The Eagles have struggled to draft and develop defensive stars for much of the past decade so I think the team would be extremely hesitant to talk about dealing an impact DL. Cox isn’t just good. He’s special.

You see the traits that make him a special player.

* Rare combination of size, speed and strength.

* Able to disengage from blockers on a regular basis using both strength and technique.

* Quick enough to fire off the ball and get into the backfield.

* Very good motor. Chases the ball all over the field. Fast enough to close on QBs that are running in space.

* Regularly disruptive.

* Able to finish plays. Some DL can disrupt, but not finish. Cedric Thornton has 3 sacks in 48 career games. Cox had 4 sacks last year.

* Versatile. Can play left or right side. Can play DE, DT and NT.

And he can still get better.

Cox won’t turn 25 until December. This is a young man who has his best football ahead of him. He is in the final year of his contract so there will be pressure on him to have a big year and pressure on the Eagles to get him extended. It won’t be an easy negotiation because he is a 3-4 DE and they usually don’t have the impact of a pure DT or DE. How much can you afford to pay a 2-gap DE?

Chip Kelly has sung his praises, referring to Cox as the team’s MVP. Kelly values him and will hopefully have the Eagles begin working on a way to keep Cox around.

UPDATE – A couple of readers pointed out the Eagles have picked up the 5th year on Cox’s deal so he will be an Eagle in 2015 and 2016. That gives both sides time to work on an extension.

* * * * *

A bit of humor from Jimmy Bama.

Well done, sir.

_

51 Comments on “Special Player”

  1. 1 ian_no_2 said at 4:36 PM on June 7th, 2015:

    If the Eagles signed Cox as a free agent for two years for what he’s getting paid for the next two years, possibly the prime of his career, everyone would be stoked. That’s one way of looking at the situation.

    What Shady learned at Pitt: It’s even colder in Buffalo.

  2. 2 unhinged said at 5:04 PM on June 7th, 2015:

    Could not agree with you more, TL. To rip off Reggie Jackson, Fletcher’s the straw that stirs the drink. Calling him a 2-gap or 3/4 DE is too confining for what he is able to do. He consistently beats his man, and utilizes strength, quickness and stealth to make the guys next to and beside him more successful. Special is right.

  3. 3 P_P_K said at 5:49 PM on June 7th, 2015:

    The 5 stages is Kempski’s best stick figure drawing.

  4. 4 midnitemud said at 8:16 PM on June 7th, 2015:

    Definitely one of his best. The Depression Stage, where LeSean is holding the toy dump truck, had me rolling.

  5. 5 xmbk said at 6:48 PM on June 7th, 2015:

    Don’t the Eagles really have 2 years to extend him, due to the 5th year option on first rounders?

  6. 6 Dave said at 6:50 PM on June 7th, 2015:

    Yup, he is under contract through the 2016 season.

  7. 7 xmbk said at 7:00 PM on June 7th, 2015:

    Right, negotiating after this season probably makes the most sense for the club. Even if he has a monster year, they get the guaranteed money discount.

  8. 8 Media Mike said at 7:32 PM on June 7th, 2015:

    Correct. He’s not going anywhere until 2016 is over.

  9. 9 RWall said at 9:01 PM on June 7th, 2015:

    Yeah, someone needs to tell Lawlor that he’s not in the last year of his contract. That detail was wrong.

  10. 10 Anders said at 2:50 AM on June 8th, 2015:

    and we might just franshice him after 2016 if we really wanna keep him

  11. 11 Media Mike said at 7:35 PM on June 7th, 2015:

    My concern with Cox is if playing him in a 3-4 is maximizing his talent from a statistical standpoint that would relate to maximizing his payout. If he and his agent have receive non-tampering “assurances” from “representatives” of various 4-3 that they’ll pay him above and beyond what hte Eagles will as a 3-4 DE; he’s gone.

    I absolutely want him on this team long term, but I’m not sure it happens.

  12. 12 OregonDucker said at 7:50 PM on June 7th, 2015:

    Cox will stay. He’ll want another SB ring.

  13. 13 Media Mike said at 7:51 PM on June 7th, 2015:

    I’m all for it if that happens, but I’m not counting on it in today’s NFL.

  14. 14 OregonDucker said at 7:53 PM on June 7th, 2015:

    Just remember #Culture wins the day. He’ll make concessions as did DeMarco.

  15. 15 Media Mike said at 7:54 PM on June 7th, 2015:

    So you’re saying DeMarco turned down more $ elsewhere?

  16. 16 OregonDucker said at 7:55 PM on June 7th, 2015:

    Yes. He stated this in his presser. Sorry, I’m too lazy to search but it’s there.

  17. 17 Media Mike said at 7:57 PM on June 7th, 2015:

    I have trouble sorting out player/agent double speak from truth. I don’t doubt it was said, but I’m not sure how authentic of a statement it was.

  18. 18 OregonDucker said at 7:58 PM on June 7th, 2015:

    True dat. We will see. But there IS a method to Chip’s madness. Chip is a crafty bastard. One reason I love the guy.

  19. 19 Media Mike said at 8:00 PM on June 7th, 2015:

    I can’t quibble, other than DeSean Jackson being my favorite guy on the team and not here anymore, with 20 wins in 2 years. Chip has done solid work so far, but I’m ready for the next step. I’m hopeful we see it this year.

  20. 20 OregonDucker said at 8:03 PM on June 7th, 2015:

    Your are witnessing a real crap shoot for greatness. There was no other way, IMHO. We will see if there is a payout or disappointment. In the end, the players have to execute, and overcome adversity. Chip can help prepare them, but they have to deliver as a TEAM. It’s the TEAM concept, that is why DJax is gone.

  21. 21 Media Mike said at 8:09 PM on June 7th, 2015:

    I get Chip’s reasoning behind Jackson being gone, but that won’t stop me from grousing about my favorite player being gone. You’re not going to get “Chip Kelly sucks” type comments out of me as a part of grieving my favorite guy being gone.

    And I don’t mind the crap shoot either; as long as Chip is willing to keep taking more money out of his account to buy more chips (no pun intended) to sit at the NFL table representing the Eagles until he dies. All I ask of my coach is a plan to be here long enough to set the NFL win record, win 7 titles (or more), and make the entire league commit suicide from envy after they admit they all suck at life and Philadelphia (in the words of Mike Tyson) is the ultimate.

    That isn’t too much, is it?

  22. 22 OregonDucker said at 8:28 PM on June 7th, 2015:

    I salute you MM. You are a true Eagles fan. Demand greatness and settle for nothing less.

  23. 23 Media Mike said at 8:31 PM on June 7th, 2015:

    Thank you. I have a pathological hatred for anything that isn’t Philly in the world of sports.

  24. 24 Flyin said at 9:47 PM on June 7th, 2015:

    Had no idea you’re a big Casey Matthews fan… me too!

  25. 25 wee2424 said at 11:38 PM on June 7th, 2015:

    Yup, OAK and Jax among another team or two I forgot.

  26. 26 Greg Richards said at 10:57 PM on June 7th, 2015:

    After winning 2 rings, this year and next, he may follow the money.

  27. 27 CaliEaglesFan said at 2:29 AM on June 8th, 2015:

    Didn’t we think the same thing with Brandon Graham?

  28. 28 Anders said at 2:50 AM on June 8th, 2015:

    The money isnt that different between a 4-3 DT and 3-4 DE

  29. 29 Insomniac said at 8:52 PM on June 7th, 2015:

    You can enjoy the Cox highlights ten times more if you mute it. I don’t usually comment on song selections for highlights but holy shit that was awful.

  30. 30 Media Mike said at 8:57 PM on June 7th, 2015:

    What was on there? Green Day? Nirvana? Drake? The Eagles?

  31. 31 Joe Minx said at 10:11 PM on June 7th, 2015:

    I have yet to see one of these videos that isn’t. Whatever happened to good old Sam Spence?

  32. 32 Mitchell said at 10:37 PM on June 7th, 2015:

    Since when is Linkin Park awful?! But I guess you said song selection, not band selection, with which I can’t argue.

  33. 33 wee2424 said at 11:49 PM on June 7th, 2015:

    I was in 7th grade when they dropped Hybrid. I think that’s what the album was called at least. I kept one disc at home and another in my school locker. Every track was awesome.

  34. 34 Dave said at 8:36 AM on June 8th, 2015:

    Linkin Park always makes me think of this…

  35. 35 Insomniac said at 3:31 AM on June 8th, 2015:

    I didn’t even make it to the second song before muting it.

  36. 36 Media Mike said at 5:03 AM on June 8th, 2015:

    1996 I believe. That would coincide with their foundation year.

  37. 37 Phillyterp85 said at 11:16 AM on June 8th, 2015:

    Insomniac,

    I haven’t chosen songs yet for my soon to be published Conner Barwin All-22 highlight film. Give me some recommendations for that one if you please. I don’t want my listeners to be having to mute my videos, that’s certainly not good 🙂 Though I was thinking maybe AC/DC Thunderstruck for that, what do you think about that one? Otherwise, I’m all ears.

  38. 38 Michael Myers said at 6:13 PM on June 8th, 2015:

    pick from some of his fave bands…good selections there

  39. 39 MagsMama said at 7:45 PM on June 8th, 2015:

    Thunderstruck is one of the few AC/DC tunes I like. Love watching Angus Young playing the intro one-handed. Also, I was watching the few plays for Barwin on the NFLN Top 100 last week. On the one play where he was credited with the sack, it was actually Cox who disrupted the QB/play first. Just glad they are both Eagles.

  40. 40 Michael Myers said at 6:09 PM on June 8th, 2015:

    and enjoy them ten times more if you stop, rewind, play again ten times for each amazing play. I love the way he beats double and triple-teams, keeping his eyes in the backfield and violently tossing at the last second to make the play. What a beast. So amazingly quick and what balance for such a big dude. Cox=Angry Grizzly Bear.

  41. 41 SteveH said at 9:09 PM on June 7th, 2015:

    I would’ve been disappointed if Cox had gone, even if it was part of a deal to get Mariota. He’ a lot of fun to watch and we haven’t had many good defensive players lately.

  42. 42 wee2424 said at 11:46 PM on June 7th, 2015:

    Losing him would really hurt the D.

  43. 43 76mustang said at 9:17 PM on June 7th, 2015:

    I think most Eagles fans would agree…their Cox is special…and their Johnson…

  44. 44 Media Mike said at 9:19 PM on June 7th, 2015:

    Best Johnson outside of Detroit.

  45. 45 wee2424 said at 11:57 PM on June 7th, 2015:

    Some may argue that.

  46. 46 Michael Myers said at 6:18 PM on June 8th, 2015:

    Cox rocks, Johnson rules and Peters refuses to go down unless its a ripped tendon. Couldn’t be more pleased with the boys as they show alot of come-back attitude play after play, season after season…f refractory periods, ready NOW!

  47. 47 Flyin said at 10:43 PM on June 7th, 2015:

    Tommy also has an Eagles article here…

    http://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/article-1/Fan-Demonium-Chip-The-Builder/bca4a6e3-b1da-4c57-8470-10397de9b7fb

  48. 48 Iggles Nation said at 11:21 PM on June 7th, 2015:

    I agree. Keeping cox is the consultation prize for not getting MM. Love Jimmy’s artistry

  49. 49 Michael Myers said at 6:20 PM on June 8th, 2015:

    consolation

  50. 50 Anders said at 3:32 AM on June 8th, 2015:

    Watching the highlight and its clear have great Cox is at disengaging his OL once he finds the ball carrier.

    and then there is this play versus “All Pro” guard Zach Martin

    https://vine.co/v/O63pj5WMWJX

  51. 51 Iggles Blitz » Blog Archive » The Vision Comes to Life said at 8:25 AM on June 8th, 2015:

    […] you enjoyed the Fletcher Cox highlights from yesterday, you can see more stuff like that. Larry Mitros posts them at Inside the […]