Two-time All-Pro left tackle Jason Peters signed a five-year contract worth at least $41 million with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Peters, 32, will not be among the NFL’s highest-paid offensive tackles. In 2011, Cleveland Browns left tackle Joe Thomas signed a seven-year, $84 million deal with more guaranteed money — $44 million — than Peters’ entire contract could fetch him.
Acquired from the Buffalo Bills after a contract-related holdout in 2009, Peters made $12 million for the Eagles last season, Peters ruptured his Achilles tendon twice in 2012. First in March during team workouts and again in May while moving furniture in his house.
He was an All-Pro in 2011 and again last season, his first in Chip Kelly’s fast-paced system. Peters, a converted tight end who went undrafted out of Arkansas, ranked fourth in the NFL last season at offensive tackle based on grades assigned to all active players by Pro Football Focus.
The Eagles have a number of difficult decisions to make with free agents before the doors open to the rest of the league for player acquisition on March 11.
General manager Howie Roseman remarked last week at the NFL Scouting Combine that the Eagles would do their best to make decisions on players during “calm times” and keep their “walkaway numbers” in mind when deciding whether to fight to retain players they developed such as wide receivers Jeremy Maclin and Riley Cooper.