EaglesPro 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."
To that end, the team is working toward a long-term deal that will circumvent Cox's free agency after the 2016 season.
The Eagles opened contract talks with Cox as well as impending free agent pass rusher Vinny Curry at this week's Senior Bowl, NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported Friday, via a source informed of the negotiations.
"Anytime you can keep Man Dog around, that'll be good. I think he's one of the best players in the NFL," said offensive tackle Lane Johnson, who inked his own extension Friday.
Cox has been not only Philadelphia's MVP, but also the NFC East's premier defensive force over the past two seasons.
He 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.
A relentless pocket pusher, Cox will be a mismatch for interior linemen as a three-technique defensive tackle in new coordinator Jim Schwartz's 4-3 scheme. Bills guard Richie Incognito, a Pro Bowler in his own right, conceded after a December loss to the Eagles that Cox "ate my lunch today."
Although Curry was never a great fit for former coordinator Billy Davis' 3-4 defense, he still racked up a productive 16.5 sacks over three seasons as a situational pass rusher. His skill set is ideally suited to Schwartz's system, where he will presumably line up as a defensive end.
Don't be surprised if Curry challenges Cox, Connor Barwin and Brandon Graham as the team's most productive pass rusher in 2016.
The Eagles are fortunate that the best talents on their roster are perfectly suited for the new defense. That is not often the case with wholesale regime changes.
