We found out on Monday that Eagles legend Jason Kelce is returning for a 13th season in Philadelphia.
Now we know how much it’s going to cost.
The Eagles and Kelce reached an agreement that will pay him $14.25 million, with a maximum of $14.75 million in 2023, a league source confirmed to NBC Sports Philadelphia.
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ESPN first reported the contract terms.
This is a $250,000 raise from Kelce’s one-year deal in 2022 and it will again make him the highest paid center in the NFL. And after another All-Pro season in 2022, Kelce certainly deserves it.
While Kelce’s average per year of $14.25M is the highest in the NFL, his cap hit will be significantly lower than that. The Eagles will undoubtedly structure his deal in a way to minimize his cap hit in 2023 by paying out most of that $14.25M in a signing bonus that prorates over multiple voidable years.
As an example, Kelce’s $14 million contract last year came with a cap hit of just over $8 million. So expect something similar in 2023 as the Eagles work to remain cap compliant.
NFL
Kelce, 35, played all 17 regular season games and 3 playoff game in 2022 after missing most of training camp after a minor surgery. Not only did Kelce play every game but he played extremely well. He made his sixth Pro Bowl team and was named an All-Pro for the fifth time in his career.
With Kelce’s return, 2022 second-round pick Cam Jurgens won’t get a chance to play center in his second season. It seems likely that he’ll end up playing next to Kelce at right guard. The Eagles’ right guard in 2022, Isaac Seumalo, is a free agent.
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