Why a 'Voluntary' Pop-In from Eagles' Fletcher Cox is More Important Than Ever

The Philadelphia Eagles need six-time Pro Bowler Fletcher Cox to mentor the talented Jalen Carter.

PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphia Eagles veteran defensive tackle Fletcher Cox was at the team’s first on-field OTA practice on Tuesday, according to a team source.

The Eagles’ first of two OTA practices open to reporters will be on Thursday.

Spring work isn’t that important for a 12-year veteran like Cox and the voluntary nature of the process, along with a well-earned reputation as a professional for the six-time Pro Bowl selection, has earned the Mississippi native the deference to come and go during the offseason process, something that Cox said a year ago.

"I always pop my head in,” Cox said in June of 2022. “It’s just a sign of respect and a sign of being professional.”

Cox is back in Philadelphia on a one-year deal for $10 million despite significant interest from the New York Jets in free agency with a league source telling SI.com’s Eagles Today that Jets GM Joe Douglas, the former No. 2 on the personnel side to Howie Roseman in Philadelphia, was willing to go as high as $12M to secure Cox.

Loyalty and the desire to finish a potential Hall of Fame career where it started was important to Cox, who is in a different phase when it comes to his job description as part of the Eagles.

While Cox is still important on the field, his presence off of it is more important than ever, and popping his head into OTAs this year took on added value for two reasons: the move from Jonathan Gannon to Sean Desai at defensive coordinator, as well as the arrival of the uber-talented Jalen Carter to the organization.

While Desai and Gannon both subscribe to a similar defensive philosophy tied to the Vic Fangio style of defense, multiple defenders and Desai himself have already confirmed that the terminology is different so there is some newness that Cox has to get used to.

The far more important aspect of Cox’s presence though is mentoring Carter, the No. 9 overall pick in the draft, and to a lesser degree, seventh-round selection Moro Ojomo. Both rookies are defensive tackles with plenty of upside with Carter having rare Cox-like game-wrecking potential.

While Desai and defensive line coach Tracy Rocker are doing the heavy lifting when it comes to teaching and getting the young interior defensive linemen up to speed, don’t underestimate the influence of Cox when it comes to showing the rookies how to be professionals.

Rocker himself was an All-SEC defensive tackle at Auburn and was a third-round pick of Washington back in 1989, spending two years in the league but he’s 57 and there is a generational gap between the coach and his young students, who weren’t even born when Rocker toiled in the NFL.

Cox, on the other hand, is an All-Decade player in the league and a player most defensive tackles coming from college have already studied because of his dominance. He’s got the cachet that resonates with an entire generation of interior linemen.

If all goes to plan the hope is that when Carter has become a multi-time Pro Bowler years into his career he’ll make it a habit to pop his head in during voluntary work because he’s been taught the right way to do things.

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-John McMullen contributes Eagles coverage for SI.com's Eagles Today and is the NFL Insider for JAKIB Media. You can listen to John, alongside legendary sports-talk host Jody McDonald every morning from 8-10 on ‘Birds 365,” streaming live on YouTube. John is also the host of his own show "Football 24/7 and a daily contributor to ESPN South Jersey. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen