As Jason Peters returned to the NovaCare Complex this week for mandatory minicamp, the future Hall of Famer expressed his desire to retire as an Eagle.
After signing a one-year extension, Peters is convinced that's going to happen.
"Yes," Peters said just off the field Wednesday. "No doubt.
"I don't think I'm going to go that much longer. Three-year extension. I'm going to give them everything I've got."
Peters, 35, is coming off his ninth Pro Bowl season and seventh with the Eagles. In recent history, it's been very rare for great Eagles to end their careers in Philadelphia (see story), but now that Peters is locked up through 2019, he has a real chance.
His one-year extension, which includes an $8 million signing bonus and is worth $32.5 million over three years with $15.5 million guaranteed, according to a league source, offers him more contract stability, something he admitted he wanted earlier this week.
Does Peters think he'll play out all three years on his deal?
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"I'm year-to-year. I feel good," he said. "I feel like I got more than three years. But it's just a three-year extension and I'm going to keep going, trying to chase a ring."
Last season, Peters was able to play all 16 games thanks to the way his health was managed by first-year head coach Doug Pederson. Peters estimated the coaching staff saved him from taking over 200 extra reps throughout the season. It led to a bounce-back year for the Pro Bowler.
Peters arrived in Philadelphia in 2009 after five seasons in Buffalo. He entered the league as an undrafted tight end from Arkansas but has built an impressive Hall of Fame résumé as an offensive tackle. He's been a Pro Bowler in nine of the last 10 years, missing just 2012, when an Achilles injury forced him to miss the season.
The personal success Peters has achieved in the NFL is undeniable, but team success hasn't followed.
He never made it to the playoffs with the Bills and has been to the playoffs just three times with the Eagles, suffering wild-card losses in 2009, 2010 and 2013. Peters has never won a playoff game, but he's hoping Carson Wentz will be his ticket to get a ring. While he couldn't say if he'd want to stick around if Wentz hadn't arrived, having a franchise quarterback certainly provides some stability.
What does he think about his chance to win a Super Bowl?
"I think it's good," he said. "We've got a good team this year. Good quarterbacks, good skill position, good line, good defense. We got a good chance. We just got to put it in place Week 1."
Peters' signing an extension will obviously push back the date for when Lane Johnson ultimately takes over his post at left tackle. But Peters said he'd be willing to move to guard at some point if the team wanted him to and Pederson brought up that same possibility earlier in the day (see story).
For now, having Peters at left tackle and Johnson at right is their best bet. While the Cowboys' offensive line is considered to be the best unit in the league, Peters thinks his offensive line is close.
"We're right there with them," Peters said. "We don't have a lot of first-round picks, but we're right there tit-for-tat with them."
Peters made sure to thank Eagles owner Jeff Lurie several times on Wednesday. He has an extremely close relationship with the billionaire owner, saying the two are "best friends."
While Peters and Lurie could be cast on a TV remake of "The Odd Couple," Peters seems indebted to the man who brought him to Philly and pushed to make sure he stayed here. Peters said the two talk about football and life.
Those conversations will get to continue at the facility for another few years. And maybe Peters really will get to retire as an Eagle.
Why is he so loyal to Philadelphia?
"The fans, the organization," Peters said. "The fans deserve a Super Bowl, playoffs, make the Linc rock, get home-field and go from there. Like I said, the city of Philly deserves it."