Philadelphia Eagles: 3 salary cap saving moves to make in 2021

PHILADELPHIA, PA - JUNE 11: DeSean Jackson #10 of the Philadelphia Eagles talks to Alshon Jeffery #17 during mandatory minicamp at the NovaCare Complex on June 11, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JUNE 11: DeSean Jackson #10 of the Philadelphia Eagles talks to Alshon Jeffery #17 during mandatory minicamp at the NovaCare Complex on June 11, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /
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Dec 13, 2020; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Taysom Hill (7) is pressured by Philadelphia Eagles nose tackle Javon Hargrave (93) as center Erik McCoy (78) looks on in the fourth quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 13, 2020; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Taysom Hill (7) is pressured by Philadelphia Eagles nose tackle Javon Hargrave (93) as center Erik McCoy (78) looks on in the fourth quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-USA TODAY Sports /

Javon Hargrave has made Malik Jackson expendable.

When the Philadelphia Eagles first signed Javon Hargrave – it didn’t really make a lot of sense. The team already had Fletcher Cox making $20+ million per season, and they were also expecting Malik Jackson to return to the DT rotation (who has an AAV of $10 million).

Early on in the 2020 season, the signing was looking even worse. Jackson was thoroughly outplaying Hargrave, and it presented an awkward conversation for the offseason. Would the Eagles have to shop Hargrave after just one season?

However, thanks to Hargrave finally getting accustomed to his new role, the former Pittsburgh Steeler has had a stellar past few weeks. He looked great against the Packers, and then absolutely dominated the Saints offensive line during Jalen Hurts’ debut.

Hargrave looks like an elite pass-rushing defensive tackle, making the decision to part ways with Malik Jackson in the offseason a fairly easy one. Jackson has a $13.6 million cap hit in 2021, and there’s just no logical reason for the Eagles to keep him on that number.

With Cox and Hargrave set to hold down the Eagles interior defensive line for the next couple of years – Jackson has unfortunately become expendable. It’s unfortunate that Malik’s time in Philadelphia has been uneventful, but $13+ million is just too much to pay for a rotational DT.