NFL: Fletcher Cox absent from Eagles first week of OTAs

The Philadelphia Eagles have a big presence in the middle of the defensive line, but on the first day of OTAs, Fletcher Cox was not present.

Organized Team Activities are “voluntary” team workouts that are the first real time teams get together to begin the next season.  Voluntary is in quotations due to the fact that it is technically voluntary, but participation is preferred.

Players that know they want to make further strides in their game show up to OTAs.  Players that feel that their job is in jeopardy come to OTAs.  Unfortunately, players that are too comfortable don’t come to OTAs.

The first thing that comes to the minds of NFL fans when hearing the name Fletcher Cox isn’t his interior dominance.  The first thing that comes to mind when Fletcher Cox name is brought up is six-years and $102 million.

The commitment of that amount of money turns into a two-way street between both the organization and the player.  The Philadelphia Eagles decided to pay Fletcher Cox that amount of money because they believed that he can not only be a star force on their defense but a leader.

Missing the first day of OTAs when the Eagles added multiple new pieces to the defensive line is questionable at best.  According to Tim McManus, Cox missed the first day due to the desire to spend time with his family.

According to ESPN’s Tim McManus, Cox missed the first day due to the desire to spend time with his family.

Cox was in attendance of Jeremy Maclin’s wedding over the weekend.  Interestingly enough, Jeremy Maclin was in attendance for the Chiefs’ first OTA.

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Hopefully, Cox shows up sooner than later to work with his new line-mates to bolster the front end of a defense that will need pressure to help the defensive backs.

Philadelphia’s defense line added three new potential starters this offseason; veterans Timmy Jernigan and Chris Long, and first round pick Derek Barnett.