San Francisco 49ers coach Chip Kelly has left the Philadelphia Eagles’ building so it’s time to win! That’s because it’s no longer the plan to cut or trade extremely talented and productive football players. The Eagles have a new GM, a new coach and keeping the talent they have is a priority now.
And the good news there is that they have players that now want to stay with the team as well. Pro Bowl defensive lineman Fletcher Cox made it clear to Around The NFL‘s Conor Orr on Thursday that he wants to be in Philadelphia “for the long haul.” So now, the team is working toward a long-term deal that will keep Cox free agency after the 2016 season, when his current deald ends.
Offensive tackle Lane Johnson, who signed his own extension Friday, was quoted by Zach Berman on twitter saying of the news of Cox’s deal, “Anytime you can keep Man Dog around, that’ll be good. I think he’s one of the best players in the NFL.”
Cox led the Eagles with 9.5 sacks and finished second to Michael Bennett (57) among all NFL defensive ends with 54 QB hurries in 2015, per Pro Football Focus. And in 2016, new coordinator Jim Schwartz plans to use him as a 3-technique defensive tackle in the 4-3 scheme he’s bringing to Philadelphia.
Cox’s speed and quickness will make him a complete mismatch for big, slow interior offensive linemen. The switch makes Vinny Curry, the team’s situational pass rusher in 2015 a chance to start. He earned that and the new contract he’s currently in talks for with 16.5 sacks over the last three seasons in his part-time duty.
A 3-4 OLB the last couple of years, Curry’s skill-set is ideally suited to Schwartz’s 4-3 system, as a DE. Full-time duty at his natural position should lead him to as season of 10 sacks or more in 2016. So not only will the best offensive players on the team play in a scheme they fit better but the defensive players will too.
Head coach Doug Pederson is already doing better with this team than Kelly!