By: Jake Rajala

The Philadelphia Eagles behemoth defensive lineman Fletcher Cox has been one of the best defensive tackles over the past decade. The mammoth-like DT entered the league in 2012 and proved to be a wrecking ball immediately (5.5 sacks, 10 QB hits, 8 TFLs, and 1 FF). Cox really blossomed in 2014 – as he earned his first second-team All-Pro nod. The Eagles potent DL would garner second-team All-Pro on two more occasions (2015 and 2017) and first-team All-Pro in 2018. Of course, let’s not forget that Cox was also a world champion on February 4th of 2018. With that enunciated, there is an intriguing question surrounding the Eagles defender: Is Cox a future Hall of Famer?

I believe a fascinating comparison for Cox is none other than current NFL DT Ndamukong Suh – who is headed to Canton in my opinion. Here is a sharp look at Suh’s resume:

• 70.5 career sacks
• 130 TFLs
• 212 QB hits
• 590 combined tackles
• Three-time first-team All-Pro
• two-time second-team All-Pro
• Five-time Pro Bowl selection
• Super Bowl LV champion

It’s clear that Cox and Suh have very similar resumes, to say the least. Suh has garnered two more, first-team All-Pro honors than Cox, while Cox has one more second-team All-Pro nod than the former Buccaneers DT. I believe Suh’s resume is a bit more impressive to be fair. Both greek god-like DTs have obtained Super Bowl rings in their NFL journey.

At this moment, I do honestly believe that Cox is a future Hall of Famer (and he will also end up in the Eagles ring of honor). He has enjoyed plenty of top-tier seconds (even if they weren’t first-team AP nods) and he has a shiny Lombardi trophy in his closet. With that said, I foresee Cox having at least a couple of more Pro Bowl seasons & creating a stronger case to be a first-ballot HOFer.

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By: Jake Rajala

The Philadelphia Eagles boast a scrappy & talented front seven with the savvy Brandon Graham, behemoth Fletcher Cox, utterly explosive Haason Reddick, Josh Sweat, and big-foot-like Jordan Davis. The 2021 Eagles pass rush made Reggie White turn in his grave (as they ranked 31st in sacks). However, Philly clearly put an emphasis on building a front seven this off-season that could routinely tee off on opposing signal-callers. With Reddick (former Temple defender), the rookie Davis, and a healthy Graham, the Eagles pass rush should take a big jump from last season.

In particular, I really love the Eagles signing of Reddick. He registered 12.5 sacks in 2020 and then recorded 11 sacks and 18 QB hits last season. He was dubbed as PFF’s seventh-best edge rusher on the FA market this off-season, so he was clearly a splash pick-up by Philly. The former Temple walk-on (who shares the same birthday as me) is also 27 and capable of being a difference-maker in the short term and in the distant future (around the time that Brandon Graham retires).

I’m still on the fence whether Davis can be a DROY candidate – despite his big blind-side moment in training camp. Nonetheless, he should make his presence felt and allow his teammates to shine – as he eats up double & triple teams (as seen below). As Davis develops, he and Cox could absolutely be the best DT tandem in the NFL.

Of course, the beloved Graham cracker should dazzle in his old age like fine wine. Prior to his two-game season in 2021, he made the Pro Bowl (which was his first PB) in 2020. I foresee the Eagles pass rush transitioning from a bottom-of-the-barrel unit in 2021 to a Top-15 unit in the upcoming season.

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By: Jake Rajala

The Philadelphia Eagles traded up to select the behemoth Jordan Davis 13th overall in the 2022 NFL Draft. Davis may be seen with a gifted combination of size (6’6, 340) and speed (4.78 40-time), yet it seems like he hasn’t gained enough praise to be a top-shelf DROY candidate. With that said, I’m going to untwine three reasons why the Eagles rook could win DROY next season.

Opportunities

The Lions pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson will unequivocally attract a lot of attention on a putrid Lions DL as a rookie. Meanwhile, Davis should have a lot of favorable match-ups – as he will be playing next to the superb Fletcher Cox. The NFL world witnessed Von Miller really capitalize off the opportunities he had on the Aaron Donald-led DL. I can’t wait to see teams struggle to block Davis while having a robust plan for the Eagles legend in Cox.

Big showdowns

I expect the Eagles to have a lot of success while duking it out in nail-biting contests. Davis will surely have lots of eyes on his team against the Dallas Cowboys (twice a season), Green Bay Packers, Indianapolis Colts, and Arizona Cardinals in 2022. Darius Leonard has arguably been snubbed as a DROY candidate partially because the Colts haven’t been a very impressive team. Davis can absolutely be effective and noticeable on a team that should be playoff-bound.

DT position

The DT position may not be as sexy as the edge rusher spot on defense, but it certainly has unveiled a lot of DROY winners. Ndamukong Suh, Sheldon Richardson, and Aaron Donald all won DROY. If a DT can stand out by having a plethora of sacks, they will certainly demand a ton of respect. It would be an understatement to say Davis has the explosive ability coupled with a friendly situation to be a menace against the likes of Dak Prescott and Aaron Rodgers next season.

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By: Jake Rajala

The Philadelphia Eagles may not possess their once Super Bowl-featured defense with Malcolm Jenkins and Jim Schwartz, but they certainly possess a mean green fighting on the defensive side of the ball in 2022. With that said, I’m going to untwine why the new-look Eagles defense could improve into a Top-5 defensive unit next season.

New pass rushers

The Eagles proudly ranked 11th in passing YPG allowed, but they sadly ranked 31st in sacks last season. It was clear that their secondary wanted a jolt from their front seven. Well, the Eagles nicely brought in former Temple pass rusher Haason Reddick (11 sacks last season) and they also traded up to select the behemoth Jordan Davis in the first round. Fletcher Cox and Davis will have exciting match-ups inside all the time. The Eagles legend Brandon Graham also played in a mere two games last season and it’s refreshing that the 2020 Pro Bowl pass rusher is back and healthy.

James Bradberry

I love that James Bradberry stayed in the NFC East and decided to join a shiny Eagles defense. Eagles Wire has already pointed out how the Eagles could have a fantastic CB tandem with Bradberry and Darius Slay. The former Giant is still a very good football player, as he unveiled 4 interceptions (career-high) last season. The 2020 Pro Bowl selection will certainly be one of the best CB2s in the NFL next season.

Continuity

The word continuity is the most underrated term in sports.

The Eagles defense will have stronger continuity under Jonathan Gannon in his second season as the DC. The NFL world has witnessed the Saints defense really blossom with talented faces sticking together over the past few seasons and I expect the Eagles defense to elevate their performance with better communication and understanding of the scheme. The Eagles defense will flat out be able to play faster in 2022 under their DC that luckily stayed in town.

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The Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Fletcher Cox has been one of the top DL in the NFL for a long time. Here is a look at how potent the Eagles DT has been in his career:

*stats are according to Pro Football Reference

• 58 career sacks
• 313 combined tackles
• Six time Pro Bowl selection
• All-Pro in 2018

It’s clear that Philly has been blessed by the football gods with Cox’s presence. He truly has a good chance of going into the Eagles ring of honor. Nonetheless, the veteran DT’s outlook with the Eagles is murky. He’s an aging 31 DT and he’s on a young, ascending Eagles squad.

According to NBC Sports, teams are calling to acquire Cox. The NFL world witnessed Khalil Mack recently get traded and it appears Cox could be the next mythical DT to be exchanged from his squad. With that said, what are the best landing spots for Cox?

• Arizona Cardinals

I don’t expect Kliff Kingsbury and Sean McVay to take their foot off the pedal in 2022. I foresee the Cardinals squad that has reeled in J.J. Watt, DeAndre Hopkins, and Zach Ertz to be strongly interested in the talent of Cox. The Cardinals could lose the edge rusher Chandler Jones and bring in a more dominant “DL” in Cox. The 49ers and Rams both played in the NFC Championship last season. Kingsbury knows he needs to roll the dice to be competitive in the wild NFC West.

• Los Angeles Chargers

Brandon Staley is making sure that the Chargers come out guns blazing in 2022, especially with Justin Herbert carrying his rookie contract. The Rams built an unearthly pass rush with Von Miller and Aaron Donald. It may be time for Staley to unleash Joey Bosa, Khalil Mack, and Cox in 2022. The Chargers could really lean on their front four to harass Patrick Mahomes, Russell Wilson, and Derek Carr.

• Tennesee Titans

The Tennesee Titans can’t afford to slip in 2022 with Derrick Henry after claiming the one seed in 2021. Cox and Harold Landry (12 sacks) would be a fierce pass-rushing combination in the frigid AFC conference. The Titans are clearly serious about reaching the Super Bowl with Derrick Henry and Julio Jones. Their sound roster might be one piece away from winning a Lombardi trophy and Cox could be the missing ingredient.

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By: Jake Rajala

Derek Barnett, who is heading into his fifth season, has been the subject of frequent trade speculation. The Philadelphia Eagles drafted Derek Barnett 14th overall in the 2017 draft. To sum up Barnett’s four-year journey, he’s been a valuable contributor, but he hasn’t lived up to his draft stature.  

Barnett has registered roughly four sacks, five TFLs, and 12 QB hits per season. He’s far from Pro Bowl material, but his presence has been valuable in the lineup. 

The Eagles know that Barnett hasn’t been proven to be a high-end starter, so they’ve sought out higher talent at the EDGE spot this offseason. In free agency, Philly acquired the savvy veteran Ryan Kerrigan, who hunted down NFC East QBs for ten years in Washington. Kerrigan expects to bring a high motor and superb playmaking at key moments to Eagles nation. 

Kerrigan will prove to bring dividends to the Eagles defense and potentially be an upgrade at the DE spot opposite Graham. The signing of the former Washington profile, combined with Washington opting to retain Brandon Graham, makes many believe that Barnett is out of the loop. However, I still believe the verdict of Eagles offseason decisions at pass rusher does not take Barnett out of the big picture, nor do I believe it’s the best idea to trade the 25-year-old DE. Let me begin.

• Brandon Graham and Ryan Kerrigan are extremely aging

Brandon Graham is a legendary Eagle and a Super Bowl hero. However, Graham is 33 years old and his contract expires after 2022. Graham has shown to be productive (eight sacks in 2020), but his motor, experience, and talent will only last so long. Graham appears to be ending a Hall Of Fame Eagles career in 2-3 years.

Ryan Kerrigan, the notable and popular FA signee at DE, is 32 years old himself. Kerrigan may provide quality moments and help bring forth a powerful pass rotation to Eagles, but it’s very possible that he also doesn’t outperform Barnett at this stage in his career. Kerrigan is coming off a 5.5 sack season in 2020 and he also only flashed 5.5 sacks in 2019. There’s a strong likelihood that Kerrigan will be of similar caliber to Barnett, except Barnett is several years younger. 

• Barnett has showed positive growth

The former first round pick DE had a career high of sacks in 2019 (6.5). His 2020 campaign wasn’t glorious, but he did capture 5.5 sacks while missing three games. It’s crystal clear that Barnett’s career is trending in the right direction. 

The Eagles are also confident in Barnett’s potential, as they opted to pick up his fifth year option. If Barnett takes a step forward in 2021, it would be hard to not accept his talent and outlook amid an aging pass-rushing group. 

• Trade compensation would not be worth it

If Barnett is involved in trade discussions, I don’t believe the Eagles would get his full worth in exchange. A team would likely offer “a mid-round pick” or a second round pick (in a rare case) for his services. The Eagles are fully aware that he’s coming off a season of a near-significant injury and he’s a talented asset early in his career. 

There’s a real possibility that Barnett unleashes a seven to eight sack season in 2021. I believe it would be the right move to keep and extend a young, talented, and productive edge player versus trading him at this time. 

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