Eagles sign RG Andrew Gardner to three-year contract extension

The Eagles signed guard Andrew Gardner to a three-year contract extension that keeps their new starter under contract through the 2018 season.

The deal includes $500,000 guaranteed, with a $1.4 million annual average in the three new years of the deal, according to a league source. The news was first reported by ESPN.

Gardner, 29, won the starting right guard job during the summer. He originally joined the team in 2014 as a reserve, but he started eight games last season because of injuries. Those were the first starts of his career.

He was a sixth-round draft pick by the Miami Dolphins out of Georgia Tech in 2009. He spent time on three rosters and three practice squads before the Eagles gave him a chance. Gardner beat out Matt Tobin, Dennis Kelly, John Moffitt, and Julian Vandervelde for the starting job during the offseason.

"The one thing about Andrew is he's very consistent and you know what you're getting," coach Chip Kelly said on Aug. 18. "He's extremely intelligent, knows how to run angles and knows where he's going on every play. He does what you ask him to do.

"He's not a flashy guy that's going to go out there and you're going to see him drive some guy back 15 yards and put him on his back and pancake him, but he always seems to be in the right spot and I think he's worked really hard at it."

The Eagles return to practice on Wednesday. They open the season on Monday against the Atlanta Falcons.

The Eagles signed tight end Andrew Gleichert to the practice squad. The Michigan State product spent the preseason with the team. He takes the place of tight end Chris Pantale, who agreed to terms with the Eagles but did not officially sign.