AP

The Eagles know defensive tackle Fletcher Cox probably won’t be around for much of offseason conditioning anytime soon.

But they absolutely expect him to be there when it matters.

De facto General Manager Howie Roseman made it clear they weren’t looking to trade Cox, who is entering the option year of his rookie contract and would obviously prefer the security of a long-term deal.

“Fletcher Cox is going to be on our team. He’s going to be on our team in October,” Roseman said, via Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News. “We are not trading Fletcher Cox.”

OK, then, that settles it.

Of course, now the issue becomes getting him a satisfactory deal, after spending so much money on so many others this offseason. Cox is due $7.799 million this year and they can always squat on him next year with the franchise tag, but Roseman said he’s thinking longer term than that.

“If we were playing the leverage game, I’d be more careful about my words, [about] calling him a great player, someone we want here for a long time,” Roseman said. “This is not where we’re trying to play a game. We’re trying to sign him, trying to extend him, trying to do something that all of us can feel real good about.

“We understand that’s going to hurt us [in terms of cap space and flexibility to do other deals]. We’re not trying to win the deal. We’re not going to win the deal.”

New coach Doug Pederson shrugged off Cox’s absence, saying it’s a voluntary program, which it only really is for those with the economic ability for it to be.