Jason Kelce and Fletcher Cox send response to Eagles contract decisions

The article Eagles ready to wait on Jason Kelce and Fletcher Cox’s decisions first aired on NBC Sports Philadelphia.

INDIANAPOLIS: The time of free agency is almost here. Next, the draft. OTAs will appear sooner rather than later. Football offseason in the NFL is flying by.

And while Jason Kelce and Fletcher Cox consider their football careers, the Eagles are ready to wait, even if they still don’t know what the future holds for two all-time greats. Eagles general manager Howie Roseman stated on Tuesday from the NFL Combine, “Obviously, those guys are unbelievable players, unbelievable people, and they deserve the right to decide what’s best for themselves.” “We’ll wait and offer them the space and time they require to come to the best decisions.

“From our point of view, it’s crucial that you never see them wearing various colors. I believe that if they desire the chance to return, we would want the chance to bring them back, regardless of when that is.Brandon Graham, who has stated in the open that he wishes to play one more season—his fifteenth and final—is the Eagles player with the oldest contract. Although a new contract will be needed, that will probably be completed.

What about the guys in the organization with the second and third longest tenures? Both appear to be toying with the idea of retiring.

The 36-year-old Kelce has been thinking about his football career after the previous several campaigns. He was selected in the sixth round of the 2011 NFL Draft and has since spent 13 seasons as a player. He made the decision to come back in 2023 following the Eagles’ narrow loss in Super Bowl LVII. Despite having played in a great deal of games and turning 37 in the 2024 season, Kelce is still performing at a very good level. Having been an All-Pro for six of the previous seven seasons, he is coming off of another All-Pro campaign. He’s very nearly the best center in the NFL, if he’s not still the best.

Even though he may not be at his best anymore, Cox, 33, had a productive season. Despite a few first-round selections in the mix, the 2012 first-round pick was the Eagles’ most reliable defensive lineman, capping a seven-sack season in 2022 with a five-sack season in 2023.

Kelce returned in 2023, signing a $14.25 million one-year contract. Cox returned on a $10 million, one-year contract. Given their success during their one-year contracts and the significant increase in the league salary cap, Kelce and/or Cox will undoubtedly receive the same compensation upon their return.

Roseman has cautioned against sentimentality in the past. Paying players for what they have accomplished rather than what they can still do is a temptation that teams must avoid. But if they want to continue playing, they still have talent with Kelce and Cox.

Watching a legend like Brian Dawkins end his career in Denver always stung the Eagles. With both of these people, they want to avoid that kind of outcome. Kelce would almost never play for another team, although Cox toyed with the notion last offseason before rejoining the Eagles.

To set the stage for free agency, Kelce said on March 13 of last year that he would be returning for a 13th season. Therefore, it is generally reasonable to predict that within the next few weeks, we will hear anything.

The Eagles won’t make these decisions hastily, but knowing would be beneficial. The draft takes place at the end of April, while free agency begins the following month. Though there won’t be a deadline or ultimatum, it would be best if these selections were made as soon as possible.