Fletcher Cox wasn't at practice with the rest of his Eagles teammates on Tuesday -- well, 86 of them -- and that's OK. It's May, and participation in offseason training activities is strictly voluntary. Furthermore, if Cox wants to take a vacation, he is entitled to do so under the collective bargaining agreement.
Cox really should be at OTAs. The Eagles gave him a contract potentially worth over $100 million just last year, and with that comes an obligation. Cox arguably did not live up to that contract last season, too, so he could use the practice. And if he needed a vacation, why didn't he take one during the three months he was off from work?
As far as I'm concerned, both takes are true. Cox is free to do as he wishes, and people with careers in sports should understand better than anybody the strain it places on families, so I can't blame most of these guys for taking a little extra time. Then again, this drama with Cox seems like it was completely avoidable, and looks especially bad in light of his contract and disappointing season, so I can't blame people for being angry, either.
Yet, Cox's absence almost certainly will have no bearing on the outcome of any games this season. It's not a sign of disrespect for Eagles coach Doug Pederson or that he's losing the locker room. It's not going to send a message to teammates that participation is not expected or important.
Cox's missing OTAs on Tuesday was of no consequence to the Eagles at all. By training camp, it will be a forgotten footnote in the story of the 2017 season, only to be mentioned in future Mays whenever somebody else exercises the option to skip a voluntary practice.
Even then, there is clearly a double standard, because the reaction isn't the same for everybody. When Brandon Graham missed last week while he was believed to be "holding out" for a new contract -- can't hold out when it's voluntary -- there were equal parts rage and support for the cause. Jason Peters and Donnie Jones are out this week, too, and while some displeasure has been voiced, those absences were largely met with apathy.
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Marcus Smith was missing on Tuesday as well, and it's not immediately clear why. Pederson made no mention of the former first-round draft pick, and practice was almost over before reporters bothered to notice. In theory, this is a huge mistake, because Smith is fighting for a roster spot. We also don't know where he is -- perhaps there's a reasonable explanation -- so it's unreasonable to jump to conclusions or become outraged.
This is the part where once again we remind everybody that it's May and these practices are non-contact. And while Cox's going away for a week will still be indefensible to some, it never hurts to put yourself in another person's shoes. Maybe, for whatever reason, he was literally unable to make the trip at a time that would not interfere with Eagles business. Maybe he was simply getting grief at home because he's away so much.
That undoubtedly will be impossible for some people to accept. And, hey, maybe Cox just doesn't care. Regardless, the practices are voluntary, Cox is expected back next week, and absolutely nobody is going to be talking about this eight months from now, eight weeks from now, or even eight days from now.
