Eagles Shopping Taylor Hart

PHILADELPHIA (973espn.com) - In a development that would clearly define the Eagles’ defensive tackle rotation, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reports the team is shopping defensive tackle Taylor Hart.

The writing was on the wall for Hart after Doug Pederson’s Friday press conference when the coach confirmed that free-agent signee Mike Martin is a part of the team’s plan despite the fact that the former third-round pick in Tennessee has missed the first two preseason games and is scheduled to miss the third against Indianapolis on Saturday with a balky knee.

“He’s a veteran guy that understands how to play [and] how to get himself ready to play,” Pederson said of Martin. “He’s also in a position where you’re probably not going to lean on him for more than 15, 20, 25 snaps a game. And that’s what you want out of him. Just getting him to the gate on Sundays is obviously where you want to be and what you want to do.

“...We've seen enough and he's done enough in his past, for us as coaches, to feel comfortable with that.”

Martin just returned to the practice field this week and the Eagles are erring on the side of caution with him because is expected to be the backup at under tackle to Fletcher Cox. Meanwhile, the bulky Beau Allen will be the caddie to Bennie Logan at nose tackle, leaving Hart as the odd man out.

Hart was a fifth-round pick in 2014 brought in during the Chip Kelly era as a natural five-technique in the 3-4. Despite moving to a defense he’s not familiar with Hart has acquitted himself quite well to this point and it’s conceivable that the Eagles could get a late-round draft pick as compensation from a team looking for help on the defensive line.

-John McMullen covers the Eagles and the NFL for 973espn.com. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen