Philadelphia Eagles: Top 3 reasons Fletcher Cox can win Defensive MVP

3. The secondary’s been revamped. That will help Fletcher Cox and the Philadelphia Eagles tremendously.

Football is a game of many layers. If a team improves the defensive line, the secondary won’t have to guard the opposing wide receivers for long periods of time. That’s a principle that never changes.

The Eagles have had a stellar defensive line for a while now, but the secondary has been subpar, to say the least. With an improved group of cover guys, Cox will have more time and more opportunities to get after the quarterback.

The Eagles lost Malcolm Jenkins this offseason but made two splashes by trading for star cornerback Darius Slay and signing Nickell Robey Coleman. Philly should be a lot better at defending the pass in 2020.

A capable secondary is a concept that’s often been foreign to Cox. He was drafted in 2012, and for most of his run in the “City of Brotherly Love”, the Eagles have struggled with their secondary’s performance. The Eagles have ranked among the bottom four teams in the league versus the pass in four of Cox’s eight seasons as a professional. That alone speaks volumes, but it’s a pattern that should end in 2020’s regular season.

Cox has been one of the biggest beneficiaries of the Eagles’ busy offseason. He’s been able to slow his body down and recover from his injuries while watching the vice president and general manager, Howie Roseman, make changes to the Eagles’ defense. Javon Hargrave and Malik Jackson will limit the number of double teams Cox sees, and Darius Slay and company will give him the time he needs to pressure the quarterback.

If Cox and his teammates can stay relatively healthy, there’s no reason to believe he won’t put the league on notice and possibly bring home a Defensive Player of the Year trophy. Guaranteed.