Adrian Fedkiw
The Philadelphia Eagles had three key players that they needed to make decisions on following the conclusion of the season.
That’s now down to two.
Eagles defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan signed a four-year, $48 million extension with $26 million guaranteed on Thursday, according to a report by ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
#Eagles have signed DT Tim Jernigan to a four-year contract extension through the 2021 season.#FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/mjYcOzvbiZ
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) November 9, 2017
Wide receiver Alshon Jeffery and linebacker Nigel Bradham are also free agents at the end of the season, but Jernigan is locked up. He has just 1 1/2 sacks and 17 tackles on the year, but his stats barely indicate the impact he’s had on the defensive side of the ball. Jernigan is a perfect fit for defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz’s scheme and has been a big reason why the Eagles have the No. 1 ranked run defense in the NFL. Eight of those tackles have gone for a loss.
Timmy Jernigan completely overwhelms Daniel Kilgore on the bull rush and registers the tackle for loss pic.twitter.com/TxxqvI7Mn9
— The Bitter Birds (@AdrianFedkiw) October 29, 2017
Jernigan, who was acquired for a swap of third-round picks from the Baltimore Ravens during the offseason, stepped up earlier this season when Fletcher Cox missed two games due to a calf injury and his presence allows Cox to see less double and triple teams. When the pass rush took a turn for the worse last year, a big reason why was because Cox was getting doubled and tripled while the rest of the defensive line was unable to win their one-on-one matchups.
That’s not an issue anymore, Cox and Jernigan have been slicing in backfields to stop the run and collapsing the pocket effectively all year long.
The team released a statement following the move.
Since the day he entered the building, Tim has been a difference-maker both on the field and around the building. He’s a tough, physical, and relentless player who brings energy and enthusiasm every day. Tim possesses a lot of the qualities that we look for as we continue to build this team and we are excited about his future here in Philadelphia.
How can you not be excited?!