According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, veteran left tackle Jason Peters will be suiting up in midnight green for one more season.
There was some speculation otherwise, but LT Jason Peters, set to make $9.95M base salary, will be back with #Eagles in ’17. Not a surprise.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 23, 2017
The Eagles are expected to have around $9M in cap space heading into the free agency window and have some prominent holes to fill. The veteran left tackle has two seasons remaining no his current contract and carries a cap hit of $11M in both 2017 and 2018. The team reportedly approached the 35-year old with regards to a possible pay cut. But understandably after being named to his ninth Pro Bowl, Peters wasn’t exactly sold on the idea of giving up some of his well earned salary.
According to a source, there was no pay cut. Jason Peters' 2017 salary is $10,450,000, not $9,950,000. https://t.co/VV4LMelJDM
— Jimmy Kempski (@JimmyKempski) February 23, 2017
Peters played in every single game of the 2016 campaign and was vital in the development of Carson Wentz. With rookie Halapoulivaati Vaitai being the heir to one of the Tackle thrones, Peters had plenty of ammunition knowing that if the Eagles wanted sustainability, he was easily their best option.
The price that the Eagles are set to pay for Peters isn’t exactly overwhelming in the grander scheme of things. The veteran’s salary places him 11th among offensive tackles..and finding a suitable replacement for less than that would be incredibly difficult.
Peters was scheduled to make $9.95M in 2017 so if Rapoport’s statement is correct, it would not only imply that the pay cut request has been unsuccessful..but that the team are comfortable moving forward with arguably the best left tackle in franchise history for at least one more year.
Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
