By Ben Sullivan
With all the focus on Thursday night’s NFL draft and its ramifications for the 2015 Eagles, it’s nice to know that Fletcher Cox’s hard work and stellar play has been rewarded.
The Eagles exercised their fifth-year option on the defensive lineman Monday, the team announced.
The disruptive 3-4 defensive end had a breakout campaign in Philly last year — producing at such a high level that coach Chip Kelly anointed him team MVP.
Although Cox’s numbers don’t jump off the page — he’s tallied just 12.5 career sacks — his harassment at the line of scrimmage allowed the Eagles’ opportunistic defense to lead the league in fumbles forced/recovered and rank second with 49 sacks last season.
Pro Football Focus indicated Cox’s late-season tear was akin to Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt’s output.
