With Sam Bradford's trade demand rescinded and his holdout at an end, the Philadelphia Eagles have almost all issues with their veteran players resolved, and the team is very nearly set to head into the rest of the offseason free of distraction.
However, one player's status has yet to be addressed.
Star defensive tackle Fletcher Cox's situation has quietly flown under the radar, thanks to massive amount of drama that has surrounded the team in other areas.
From the hiring of Doug Pederson, to Howie Roseman's trades and free agent signings, to the acquisition of Carson Wentz and the trade demand of Bradford, the Eagles' offseason has been packed with great stories that have commanded a great deal of attention.
As such, Cox's story has kind of slipped through the cracks to this point, but it is certainly something worth monitoring in the coming weeks.
Throughout the team's voluntary workouts, Cox has been missing in action at every turn. While there hasn't been any hint of unhappiness with the organization, there was a school of thought leading up the draft that suggested the Birds might actually have been looking into trading Cox to help them move up in the Draft.
Roseman was questioned about the rumors in the weeks leading up the Draft, but the general manager vehemently denied any thought to the idea that the club wanted to move the top defensive tackle.
Along the way, there have also been several erroneous reports that indicated that the Eagles were close to a new contract extension with Cox. Roseman again has been very public with his desire that Cox be a member of this franchise for a long time, yet in an offseason where Howie has successfully been able to lock up every other key member of the roster that he wants around, he hasn't quite been able to draw up a deal that will work for Cox.
The future of Cox is the final item on the Eagles' checklist before heading into the season.
Cox enjoyed a breakout season in 2015, and figures to be even stronger this year in new defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz's system. He may be the best defensive player on the roster, and is certainly one of this team's most important young pieces.
Getting a long-term deal done with Cox before the season is important for a number of reasons. The future of the defensive tackle position is a little murky at the moment with both Cox and his fellow linemate Bennie Logan set to be free agents at the end of the season. It may be difficult for the club to retain both, but getting at least one of the two under contract for the long-term now would establish some tremendous security and stability.
But more importantly, this is a young team that needs effective leadership. The Eagles may be much better served if they take care of Cox financially now so that he can take his mind off of the contract and his pending free agency, and really commit himself to the organization and establishing himself as one of the next great voices in the locker room.
Denny Basens is a contributing writer for Eagledelphia. Follow him on Twitter @DennyBasens.
