‘Ready to roll,’ Cox never considered opt-out
The thought of forgoing the 2020 NFL season never crossed the mind of Eagles defensive tackler Fletcher Cox.
“Aw, I knew I was playing,” Cox said Wednesday during a Zoom call with reporters. “I love this game so much and I knew that from talking to guys around the organization and just feeling safe was the biggest thing. Here, I feel safe, so I knew I was going to play and I’m excited about going into my ninth year. I’m excited and ready to roll.”
In terms of team operations, Cox has seen no ill-effects in the aftermath of coach Doug Pederson’s positive COVID-19 test. The Eagles announced Sunday that Pederson will self-quarantined for the next few weeks and manage the team from afar. Assistant head coach/running backs coach Duce Staley is handling the day-to-day responsibilities from inside the NovaCare Complex.
“Doug is doing a really good job of leading this team virtually and it’s just one of them deals where we have to be able to adapt as a team,” Cox said. “A lot of stuff is going to happen during the season, we’re just going to have to adapt to it. Doug is the leader that we all know ... Duce is doing a really good job, the players are doing a really good job.
Everything is going pretty smooth.”
Cox said everyone in camp is doing right thing by following safety protocols during their acclimation period. The Eagles will not practice until Aug. 14.
“The hardest thing to adapt to was having a mask on the moment you walk into the building and having to keep that mask on during meetings,” Cox said. “I feel safe. There are protocols you have to go through before we come into the building. There are things we have to do before we even open the door, so I feel really safe. When you go home, you just have to do the right things, like stay in the house and making sure that you’re staying on top of things.
“You have to adapt to it ... so there are things we need to do to adapt and know there will be changes here and there, but we can’t let that distract us from our main goal and that’s starting the season and finish.”
Cox, 29, is entering his ninth season in Eagles green. While he made his fifth Pro Bowl in 2019, he had one of his worst campaigns from a statistical standpoint. His 3.5 sacks were his lowest since 2013, and his 40 combined tackles were the fewest since 2017.
“I just want to get better at everything,” he said. “Yesterday I was watching film, seeing some little things. At some point I can get off some blocks, there’s three, four, five more sacks out there for me. If I would’ve gotten off a block a second sooner, that’s a sack.
Little things. Not only making me better, but making whole group around me better.”
Cox is bullish about the Eagles’ defensive line unit. The Eagles are bolstered by the return of 2019 free-agent signing and defensive end Malik Jackson, who missed all of last season due to injury. Javon Hargrave, who compiled 14.5 sacks in four seasons with Pittsburgh, signed a multi-year contract with the Eagles in March and will line up opposite Cox.
“I think it’s a really good thing, especially to have all those guys back,” Cox said. “You have Malik and Hassan (Ridgeway) and Javon who is coming in. I think it’s a really good group, a solid group, along with the other guys in the room that I played with last year. It’s a really solid group. I’m just looking forward to getting back to football with those guys . ... It’ll be a really good rotation, whatever we decide to do, and I’m just excited for those guys.”
The revolving door that is the defensive line coaching position doesn’t seem to bother Cox, who is the elder statesman of the Birds’ defense. Cox said that new coach Matt Burke brings “a lot of energy” to the team.
“Every coach has their ways of coaching. It’s going to be different ways he coaches, different techniques, and I’m just going to have to be able to adjust on the fly,” Cox said. “Matt is the guy now and right now we’re going through normal football stuff, technique stuff, how he wants stuff done his way. I’ve just got to get it down.”
Cox is expecting a big season from defensive end Derek Barnett, the former firstround pick whose career has been plagued by injuries and ineffectiveness. In April the Eagles exercised the fifth-year option on Barnett’s rookie contract.
“He has worked his butt off. He’s had a couple injuries ... but I know Derek. He always felt like he has had a point to prove to the whole world,” Cox said. “But he showed up, he’s always ready and in shape, he’s ready to go and focus on his job, and ready to learn more. I’m excited for Derrick.”