The Philadelphia Eagles have signed tight end Brent Celek to a three-year, $13 million contract extension with $6 million guaranteed, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.
Celek's contract was set to expire after the 2016 season, but now he will remain in Philadelphia a little longer. The Eagles signed Zach Ertz to a big five-year, $42.5 million extension through 2021 with $20 million guaranteed, as first reported by Joel Corry of CBS Sports.
Ertz, a 25-year-old, will be a lock as the first tight end on the team, while Celek will back up the second round pick by the Eagles in the 2012 NFL Draft. The two star players, the tight end position will become a huge park of Philadelphia's offensive game plan.
While Ertz is known for his down field skills, Celek has been noted as one of the best blockers at the tight end position in the past few seasons. The 31-year-old got drafted by the Eagles in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft and was originally known for his sticky hands, but reinvented himself as a football player.
In the 2015 season, Celek caught 27 passes for 398 yards and three touchdowns with an average of 14.7 yards per reception across 16 games played for the Eagles. Meanwhile, Ertz played in 15 games and caught 75 passes for 853 yards and two touchdowns.
Over his nine-year career, Celek has pulled down 4,713 yards through the air and 30 touchdowns. Celek has six playoff games under his belt, which he caught three touchdowns and 251 games. Ertz, however, has only one playoff game on his resume and in the game he tallied three catches for 22 yards and a touchdown. If the Eagles make the playoffs next season, then the veteran tight end should step up as a leader for his team and his city.