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Roseman won't say for sure that Jason Kelce will return

MOBILE, Ala. - Howie Roseman praised Jason Kelce on Wednesday, but he did not commit to bringing the center back to the Eagles next season.

MOBILE, Ala. - Howie Roseman praised Jason Kelce on Wednesday, but he did not commit to bringing the center back to the Eagles next season.

"I think we'd like to have every single player back," Roseman said between Senior Bowl practices. "We're talking about a guy who just made the Pro Bowl. Those are good situations for the Philadelphia Eagles to have Pro Bowl players. But it's hard to go into each player, and I'm not saying as it relates to Kelce, but if I start answering the question to Jason Kelce, that opens the door to five or six other guys."

Kelce, 29, is playing in the Pro Bowl this weekend after making the team as a second alternate. He started all 16 games for the Eagles this season and is a key member of the offense, but he also comes with a big price tag.

Kelce will count $6.2 million against the salary cap next season. The Eagles would save $3.8 million if they released or traded him. Of course, they would also lose a valuable player. Coach Doug Pederson has said 2016 third-round pick Isaac Seumalo can play center, but Kelce is a proven option.

"He's going to the Pro Bowl. His peers have had him as a second-team alternate. That shows you the respect he's had in this league," Roseman said. "We're not talking about a guy who's 35 or 36, older than that. You see his ability to play in space, his explosiveness. Ultimate team guy. I don't think when you put on the tape, you see any decline in play from Jason Kelce."

Lurie at workouts

Owner Jeffrey Lurie was on the sideline Wednesday. It was his second consecutive year making the trip here.

"He just loves being around football, he loves being around the people in the organization," Roseman said. "He has a good time, he gets energy from it. It's a dead time of year where there's not a lot going on for all of us, where you don't see action, where you don't get to practice. It's a beautiful day. It's kind of a 'why not?' situation here."

Roseman said Lurie does not provide input on the prospects. Rather, he asks questions to understand what Roseman and vice president of player personnel Joe Douglas are seeing. So it's a matter of Lurie's evaluating the evaluators

Switching sides

The decision to move Taylor Hart from defensive tackle to offensive tackle came after Roseman and Douglas watched him fill in as a scout team offensive lineman during practices at the end of the year. The Eagles were short on offensive linemen, and Hart played right tackle. The pass rushers commented on how difficult it was to get past Hart.

Douglas asked Hart if he had any offensive line background.

"In high school, I was an offensive tackle. Oregon was the only place that wanted me to play D-line," Hart responded, according to Roseman.

The Eagles worked out Hart further at the position and thought he could make the switch. Hart was "excited" about the move, Roseman said.

"It's hard to find big men like that who have length who could move," Roseman said. "That's one of the things that you do in January, and you get a little juice going because it has a chance. You know he's going to work hard and he's smart, athletic."