The Eagles have agreed to a three-year deal with Pittsburgh Steelers nose tackle Javon Hargrave, according to a report from the NFL Network.
The deal is reportedly worth $39 million for an average of $13 million a year, with $26 million guaranteed. The deal makes him the highest paid nose tackle in the NFL.
Hargrave, 27-years old, was strong against both the run and pass as the centerpiece of the Steelers' 3-4 defense, finishing with 168 tackles and 14.5 sacks over the last four seasons. He was a third-round pick out of South Carolina State in 2016, measuring in at 6-foot-2, 305 pounds.
Here are three thoughts and things to know about the deal:
1) There is no denying Hargrave can play. Paired next to Fletcher Cox, Hargrave should be a major problem for opposing offensive lines. Considered one of the best defensive linemen on the market, the Eagles are once again investing in the lines and making collapsing the middle of the pocket a priority. That is a winning strategy. There is some question to the fit, as Hargrave has played in a 3-4 defense his entire career, while the Eagles play a 4-3 defense. The Eagles must be pretty confident he can make the transition.
2) It is fair to wonder what this means about Malik Jackson, who suffered a season-ending foot injury in Week 1 last season, but is expected to be ready for the start of the 2020 season. It is possible the Eagles will rotate their defensive tackles enough to keep both Jackson and Hargrave happy next to Fletcher Cox. It is a bit odd, however, that they have handed over a big deal to a defensive tackle each of the last two seasons.
3) Hargrave fits the Eagles' plan of getting younger, as he has been in the league for four years and just turned 27. He has missed only one in four seasons, and there is no reason to think he can't be a building block for the Eagles' defensive line over the next three years -- if not longer.
You can follow Eliot Shorr-Parks on Twitter at @EliotShorrParks or email him at esp@94wip.com!
