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Jim Schwartz on Fletcher Cox: 'What we do is going to fit him very well'

The best player on Jim Schwartz's defense this season is defensive tackle Fletcher Cox. One problem: Schwartz hasn't yet seen Cox in that defense.

Schwartz would not comment on whether he's had any conversations with Cox since accepting the Eagles' defensive coordinator job in January. Cox has not attended the team's voluntary workouts while entering the final year of his contract.

"It's voluntary, so you can only do so much," Schwartz said. "Fletch was drafted in a scheme that was similar to this. He'll catch up, but, you know, I'm sure there will be some carry over for him. I assume he's a fast learner and I assume he'll pick things up quickly."

Schwartz did not want to discuss Cox on Tuesday, instead redirecting questions to players who are at the Eagles' organized team activities. At one point, he said he was finished taking Cox questions. But there's no pretending Cox isn't a relevant figure in any discussion about the Eagles' defense – whether he's in the team facility or back in Mississippi.

The 25-year-old, four-year veteran is the type of player that becomes a centerpiece to a defensive plan. Cox made his first Pro Bowl with 9.5 sacks last season while rushing as a defensive end in two-gap 3-4 defense. His numbers could rise in an attacking 4-3 defense that seems an ideal fit for his skill set.

In 2012, defensive line coach Jim Washburn said, "When God made [Cox], he made him to be in this system right here." NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah, a former Eagles scout who helped find players for this type of scheme, said of Cox: "I can't wait to see what he's going to do. He's going to go off."

Schwartz's stance was that anything he says would be "hypothetical" at this point because he hasn't yet coached Cox. However, Schwartz has seen enough film of Cox to be confident about what will happen when Cox returns.

"We evaluated last year and what guys did, and he certainly had an impressive year last year," Schwartz said. "We think that scheme-wise and technique-wise what we do is going to fit him very well."