Eagles extend veteran TE Celek

MOBILE, Ala. - Before he was so rudely interrupted a year ago, Howie Roseman was trying to build an atmosphere in which players drafted by the Eagles would stay with the Eagles, would feel valued by the organization, and would build valuable continuity for the team.

Roseman, back in charge of Eagles personnel after a yearlong hiatus at the insistence of former coach Chip Kelly, is moving to re-establish that initiative this week with new deals for the team's top two tight ends, Zach Ertz (five years, $42.5 million, on Monday), and then Brent Celek (three years, $13 million on Tuesday, with $6 million guaranteed).

"It's an important message to your team, that if you play really well and you do the right things and you're drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles, you've got a chance to stay for a long time. I think it's important for the organization," said Roseman, who called Ertz, 25, a "tremendous talent, tremendous work ethic, the type of player we want to keep in Philly for a long time," and Celek, 31, "just a true Eagle."

There had been speculation that Celek might be a casualty of his $5 million cap number this year, the final season of his old contract, but Roseman clearly considers Celek part of the team's foundation. He was drafted by the Eagles in the fifth round in 2007, and Celek's 371 career catches are second on the franchise tight end list to Pete Retzlaff's 452.

"You want people who have come up through your process and understand what it's like to play in our city in front of our great fans," Roseman said. "When you look at the successful teams in the league, they're drafting and developing their players and then they're keeping them. When you're able to do that, you're able to kind of put placeholders at those spots, and then go on to different positions and kind of go from there. You know what you're getting. You live with that person every day. You see their work ethic. You know what their role will be for your football team. You have that built-in identity, from knowing a guy for a time."