Chip Kelly called Fletcher Cox the Philadelphia Eagles' MVP last season. Entering Thursday night's NFL Draft, that MVP defensive end could become a trade chip.
NFL Media's Albert Breer reports that Cox is one of three veteran players other teams have viewed as potential trade pieces for the Eagles, along with guard Evan Mathis and linebacker Mychal Kendricks, per sources on two teams that have spoken with Philly.
While Mathis and Kendricks -- and corner Brandon Boykin, who NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported is also on the trading block -- have been involved in trade rumors for some time, the addition of Cox's name to that mix could indicate the steps Kelly is willing to take (or at least the asking price from other teams) to try and get quarterback Marcus Mariota.
If Kelly doesn't want to mortgage the team's future in a draft-day trade by adding multiple future first-round choices, he might have no choice but to surrender some of its present.
Cox was one of the NFL's most disruptive defensive forces in 2014 and a preposterous Pro Bowl snub. The 24-year-old pass rusher seemingly set up camp in opponent's backfield for 16 weeks.
A proven playmaker, who just had his fifth-year option exercised, Cox could be the chip teams insist Kelly adds to any trade that boosts the Eagles into the top of the draft to nab Mariota. The Tennessee Titans, for example, run a 3-4 under defensive coordinator Ray Horton and pairing Cox with Jurrell Casey would be a major boost to the pass rush -- and a more known quantity than Leonard Williams.
With the torrential rumor winds swirling in Chicago, we sit mere hours from finding out if any of them prove to be more than a passing gust.
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