Eagles explain former Mississippi State DT Fletcher Cox’s absence from OTAs

Former Mississippi State DT Fletcher Cox was a noticeable absence from Tuesday’s OTAs, leading some to question where the current Philadelphia Eagles star was.

However, everything is fine, and the two-time Pro Bowl defender — who signed a six-year, $103 million contract last offseason — will be back with the team soon.

According to Philly.com, Cox is spending the week with his family and the Eagles’ coaching staff is OK with that:

“The reason is satisfactory,” coach Doug Pederson said before practice. “Again, it’s a voluntary program. I would love for everybody to be here. That’s just me, personally. I would love everybody to be here. I know it’s not always going to work out that way. But, you know, Fletcher’s one of the leaders on the football team. Guys like that, you do expect to be here. I get the rules. We abide by the rules. He’s one of the guys, too, that at the end of the day, I’m going to hang my hat on and go to war with.”

Cox finished the 2016 season with 43 tackles, 6.5 sacks and a forced fumble to lead the Eagles’ defense. He’ll be counted on to provide stability along the interior defensive line again this season as the Eagles try to improve on last year’s 7-9 record.

Adam Spencer

Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.