Philadelphia Eagles veteran Fletcher Cox made some headlines recently for calling out his defensive coordinator.
The Eagles have struggled on both sides of the ball this year and the defensive mainstay aired some grievances.
Cox is 30 years old and on a team that appears to be rebuilding at the moment.
That meant he was involved in trade rumors right until the deadline arrived Tuesday afternoon.
He was not moved, and recent comments point toward him being thrilled about staying put.
🔥Eagles DT Fletcher Cox on being involved in trade discussions earlier this week
“They wanted me here, I wanted to be here… forever Philly” pic.twitter.com/0npr5UdjE7
— Jeff Skversky (@JeffSkversky) November 5, 2021
Cox has been with the Eagles since 2012 and has gone through plenty of ups and down.
For now, he is staying with the only team he has ever known.
Eagles Make The Right Call
Cox is still under contract in 2022 and the Eagles should be expected to compete next year, whether that is with Jalen Hurts or someone else at quarterback.
Fletcher Cox says Howie Roseman kept him involved in all the trade talk this past week, which he appreciated. Happy to remain with the #Eagles pic.twitter.com/fMmNT9R7Rw
— Eliot Shorr-Parks (@EliotShorrParks) November 5, 2021
The veteran is a leader in the organization and moving him now would have basically signaled the team was already looking forward to next year.
Cox now gets to stick around and keep his defense motivated as they cling to some playoff hopes at 3-5 on the season.
The chances are not great, but Cox has seen a past team of his shock the world en route to a Super Bowl title.
It was also going to be hard to find any great value in a deal for the defender.
He is owed over $17 million next year and is clearly on the decline of his career.
If he was dealt, the Eagles may have had to pay some of his salary anyway.
It makes more sense to keep him around and keep the locker room intact, especially with first-year head coach Nick Sirianni at the helm.
The Eagles can now wait until the offseason to evaluate the roster instead of blowing it up and trading a cornerstone of the franchise for a draft pick or two.
NEXT: Eagles Finally Run The Ball To Perfection In 2021