Tight end Brent Celek intends to play football in 2018, but he’ll need to find a new team if he’s going to get on the field.
The Eagles announced on Tuesday that they have released Celek. The move will clear $4 million from the team’s salary cap while also erasing the longest tenured member of the team from the roster.
“Brent Celek defines what it means to be a Philadelphia Eagle,” the team said in a statement. “His dedication to his profession and this organization is unmatched and he will go down as one of the best tight ends in franchise history. Brent embodied the City of Philadelphia’s temperament and character with his toughness and grit. He has been a huge part of everything we have been building over the last decade and it is only fitting that he was able to help us win our first Super Bowl last season. Unfortunately, in this business we are forced to make difficult decisions, especially this time of the year. This one is as tough as they come, but in our eyes, Brent will always be an Eagle.”
Celek joined the team as a fifth-round pick in 2007 and has missed just one game over his 11 NFL seasons. He set a career high of 76 receptions in his third season, but moved into more of a blocking role with Zach Ertz on the team as well in recent years. He had 13 catches for 130 yards and a touchdown last year.
Celek’s release comes shortly after reports that Trey Burton will be leaving the Eagles for a long-term deal with the Bears. That leaves Ertz as the only tight end under contract who saw time with the team last year.
