For a long time, Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman has talked about being hyper focused on building the roster through the offensive line and defensive line in the NFL draft.
It’s hard to argue with the results. The Eagles have won 2 Super Bowls in the last 8 years with Roseman making the picks as he continues to draft and nurture talent in the trenches. That includes successive Pro Bowl centers in future Pro Football Hall of Famer Jason Kelce and his successor, Cam Jurgens, who is coming off a win in Super Bowl LIX.
With Jurgens only 25 years old and headed into the final season of the 4-year, $6.86 million contract he signed as a rookie in 2022, it’s almost a certainty the Eagles will deliver a contract extension at some point in the near future. Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine thinks re-upping with Jurgens should be the team’s top priority this offseason.
“A commitment to building an elite offensive line is at the core of Howie Roseman’s blueprint for the Eagles,” Ballentine wrote. ” … (Jurgens) was drafted as the heir apparent to Jason Kelce at center. He earned Pro Bowl honors in his first year at the pivot, and the Eagles have shown their ability to spot and develop talent on the offensive line. It’s a no-brainer to get Jurgens on a long-term deal now before he gets more expensive.”
Calculating What Jurgens Might Cost Eagles
Three of the 5 starters on the Eagles offensive line are signed to massive contracts that pay them around $20 million per year; left tackle Jordan Mailata (3 years, $66 million), left guard Landon Dickerson (4 years, $84 million) and right tackle Lane Johnson (4 years, $80.7 million).
While Jurgens won’t draw that kind of money, it’s safe to say he’ll want to be among the NFL’s highest paid centers, with Kansas City Chiefs All-Pro Creed Humphrey topping the list at approximately $18 million per year.
Humphrey signed a 4-year, $72 million contract extension in August 2024 and for a starting point in negotiations with Jurgens, the Eagles could offer him a 4-year, $60 million extension … with the .
Kelce Helped Pick Jurgens as Successor
With Kelce, a 6-time NFL All-Pro, mulling retirement since before the 2022 season, the Eagles enlisted his help to find his replacement. They settled on Jurgens, 6-foot-3 and 303 pounds, with their second round pick (No. 51 overall) in the 2022 NFL draft after an All-Big Ten career at Nebraska.
“I knew we were taking him,” Kelce said after Jurgens was drafted. “So, this is my favorite player in the draft. I’m not just saying that because we picked him. The Eagles have been using me to evaluate some of the centers coming out, and of all the guys that I’ve looked at like for the past two to three years, out of all the guys that compare the most to myself, this guy is him.”
Jurgens played all 17 regular-season games as a rookie, along with a Super Bowl loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. He started 11 games at guard in 2023 before taking over at center when Kelce retired following the season.
