For years, Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman has emphasized building the roster through the offensive and defensive lines in the NFL Draft.
The results speak for themselves. Under Roseman’s leadership, the Eagles have won two Super Bowls in the past eight years, consistently drafting and developing talent in the trenches. This strategy has produced back-to-back Pro Bowl centers—future Hall of Famer Jason Kelce and his successor, Cam Jurgens, who recently helped the team secure a victory in Super Bowl LIX.
At just 25 years old and entering the final year of his 4-year, $6.86 million rookie contract signed in 2022, Jurgens is a prime candidate for a contract extension. Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine believes locking him up should be the Eagles’ 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 Jason Kelce’s heir at center, earned Pro Bowl honors in his first year at the position, and the Eagles have a proven track record of identifying and developing offensive line talent. Signing him to a long-term deal now is a no-brainer before his price tag rises.”
Calculating What Jurgens Might Cost Eagles
Three of the Eagles’ five starting offensive linemen have secured lucrative contracts worth around $20 million annually: 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).
Although Jurgens won’t command that level of salary, he’ll likely aim to be one of the NFL’s highest-paid centers, with Chiefs All-Pro Creed Humphrey setting the benchmark at approximately $18 million per year.
Humphrey signed a 4-year, $72 million extension in August 2024, and as a starting point for negotiations with Jurgens, the Eagles might propose a 4-year, $60 million extension.
Kelce Helped Pick Jurgens as Successor
With six-time All-Pro Jason Kelce contemplating retirement as early as the 2022 season, the Eagles sought his input in selecting his eventual successor. They ultimately chose Cam Jurgens, a 6-foot-3, 303-pound lineman, with the 51st overall pick in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft following his standout 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 I’ve looked at over the past two to three years, this guy is the closest comparison to myself.”
Jurgens played all 17 regular-season games as a rookie and was part of the Eagles’ Super Bowl loss to the Chiefs. In 2023, he started 11 games at guard before transitioning to center after Kelce officially retired at the end of the season.
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