Philadelphia Eagles way-too-early roster projection: Defensive Line

These four will make up the Philadelphia Eagles interior.

Defensive Tackles (4): Fletcher Cox, Javon Hargrave, Milton Williams, Hassan Ridgeway

Veteran defensive tackle Fletcher Cox has been great in the middle for Philadelphia especially in the run game. However, fans want to see him return to his 2018 form when he posted 18 knockdowns (first in NFL), 45 pressures (11th), and 10.5 sacks (20th).

Javon Hargrave took time getting adjusted to the 4-3 scheme but finished the year strong. After the Week 9 bye week, Hargrave racked up 3.5 sacks, six quarterback hits, 29 tackles, and four tackles for loss. The Eagles are hoping he will build upon that momentum in 2021.

With the 73rd overall pick, Philadelphia added Milton Williams. As Underdog Fantasy mentioned, Williams lost some weight to play on the edge but had to move back to the interior due to Louisiana Tech’s roster. Now, he is back up 284 pounds ready to play inside.

His pro-day was one to remember especially in comparison to other defensive tackles in years past. Williams posted a 4.67 forty-yard dash, 34 bench press reps, a 121-inch broad jump, a 6.96 three-cone drill, and a 38.5-inch vertical. Expect Milton to be in a similar role that Malik Jackson was in down the stretch last year.

Despite the injuries, Hassan Ridgeway is back. In the past two seasons, he has played just 14 games and 386 snaps combined. Yet, he has been productive as a fourth option with three sacks and six tackles for loss. If he can stay on the field, Ridgeway is a nice piece to have behind the big three.

If there are concerns about his health, Marlin Tuipolutu could fight for playing time. While he doesn’t make our initial roster, he could be kept around on the practice squad. At 307 pounds, he could be an anchor in the run game like Anthony Rush was a couple of years ago.