Eagles sign DE Steven Means to 1-year contract extension

It appears that Steven Means will be on the Eagles' 53-man roster.

After an impressive summer and three preseason games, the Eagles have signed the defensive end to a one-year extension through the 2018 season just a few days before final cuts.

Means, 27, was once a fifth-round draft pick of the Bucs out of Buffalo. But he bounced around some since then. He was in Tampa, Baltimore and was on the Texans' practice squad when the Eagles signed him in December of 2015.

Means outlasted Chip Kelly and Billy Davis and ended up fitting into the scheme Jim Schwartz brought to Philadelphia. Means won a job out of last year's training camp and spent all season on the active roster, but played just 36 defensive snaps and 38 special teams snaps.

This summer he appeared to be in a position battle with second-year defensive end Alex McCalister, who was a seventh-round pick last year. Means' extension doesn't guarantee McCalister won't make the team but it does make it seem like if they had to pick one or the other, the Eagles are sticking with Means, who has also taken some snaps at defensive tackle over the last month.

"One of the big things we've done with Steven, obviously, he's gotten a few more opportunities," defensive line coach Chris Wilson said earlier this summer. "And he's taking full advantage of it. That's one thing he does consistently. He's physical, he's smart, he plays with a great motor. He's always in position to make plays and when he's had opportunities in the game."

While Means has just one regular-season sack — it came last year in the fourth quarter against the Vikings — he has been a force throughout this preseason. He has 2½ sacks and does his trademark celebration after each big play (see story).