PHILADELPHIA — Standout defensive tackle Fletcher Cox agreed Monday to a six-year contract with the Philadelphia Eagles that could earn him nine figures.
The 2012 first-round draft pick from Mississippi State has been a starter since midway in his rookie season. One of the NFL’s most versatile defensive linemen, he has 308 tackles and 22 sacks in his four pro seasons.
Cox, 25, didn’t attend the team’s organized offseason activities, but he returned to the team last week.
The 6-foot-4, 310-pound Cox has increased his tackle and sack totals and has shown game-changing ability in each of the last three seasons, including a breakout year in 2015 as a fourth-year pro. Cox was a second-team All Pro performer in 2014.
Last season, Cox started all 16 games for the third-straight year and earned his first Pro Bowl berth. He set single-season highs in tackles (104), solo tackles (80), tackles for a loss (16.5), sacks (9.5), and forced fumbles (three).
In addition to the personal marks that he set in 2015, Cox led the Eagles defense in sacks, TFLs, and quarterback hurries (32). He tied for the team lead in forced fumbles. His 22 career sacks are the sixth most by an interior defensive lineman in franchise history.
In a Week 5 win against New Orleans, Cox notched single-game career highs with three sacks and two forced fumbles of quarterback Drew Brees, earning NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors for the first time in his career.
In addition to his on-field accolades, Cox was voted by his teammates as the team’s 2015 Ed Block Courage Award winner.
After three seasons as a defensive end in a 3-4 scheme, Cox is expected to return to defensive tackle in coordinator Jim Schwartz’s 4-3 defense.
Cox finished his MSU career with 114 tackles (53 solo), 24.5 tackles for a loss, and 8.5 sacks in 36 games (27 starts).
He earned first-team All-SEC honors as a junior in 2011 after setting career-highs with 56 tackles (26 solo), 14.5 tackles for a loss, and five sacks.
Wire reports were included in this story.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 41 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.