Eagles Make Major Move With Defensive Lineman

Howie Roseman said several times during the offseason that they trusted and have faith in Jordan Davis. On Wednesday morning, the Eagles general manager backed up his words by picking up the defensive tackle’s fifth-year team option.

The fifth-year option is in the contract for every player taken in the first round and must be exercised before a player enters his fourth season. Davis, whom the Eagles traded up to get with the 13th overall pick in 2022, is now locked in for a guaranteed $12.9 million for the 2026 season.

The Eagles can still negotiate a deal that will lessen the salary cap hit and add more years, but this move guarantees Davis at least two more years and time to get another deal done.

Roseman pointed to Davis ascension as last season went along. He collected two sacks in the playoffs.

“When you watch these guys perform, you know, you go through the whole body of the season, because that's what you really got to do,” said the GM. “It's watching the early part, going back, watching the middle stage of the season, and going back and watching the end of the season.

“And you just see a guy who elevated in the postseason. We really counting on him continuing to develop. And that's what this is. All of us, in all of our professions, you continue to develop and you continue to get better, get better, and that's what I think we're seeing from Jordan.”

When you look at the financial landscape across the NFL for defensive tackles, the money the Eagles are paying Davis on that fifth-year option is a bargain. Milton Williams just left the Eagles on a free-agent deal from the New England Patriots on a four-year, $104 million contract, $63M of which is guaranteed.

The guess is that the Eagles will use Davis on more than 37 percent of the defensive snaps he played a season ago.

“He's not even remotely close to being a finished product,” said Eagles defensive line coach Clint Hurtt. “He went from a world where all he was asked to do in college was play lateral and eat up combination blocks and let linebackers go make tackles. He already does that really, really well.

"So what I'm asking him to do is splitting those combinations. When the linebackers get downhill and the double team comes off, you need to make these plays. He's getting better at that.

“I want him to understand that when he's in the game, he can rush the passer, too. With all these physical traits, you can rush the passer. Now let's build your rush and see that come to life. We saw that in the playoff game against Washington (in the playoffs). That's not a one-time occurrence. He's gonna continue to get better in that area. So, I'm not gonna peg him as a one-trick pony or a guy that's on a limited basis. His game is still improving.”