After a history-making Super Bowl LII win against the New England Patriots, the Philadelphia Eagles have released their most tenured player in tight end (TE) Brent Celek. As ESPN reports, Philly cut Celek on Tuesday, March 13, 2018 to free up salary cap room.
Philly veteran TE Brent Celek leaves Philly in a move to free up salary cap space
Seasoned Eagles veteran Brent Celek completed 11 seasons in Philadelphia. During his career, Calek exhibited tenacity and versatility, elements which made him a fan-favorite as well as a respected member of the Philly team.
"Brent Celek defines what it means to be a Philadelphia Eagle," the Philadelphia organization revealed in a statement on Tuesday. But Celek isn't the only Eagles vet to depart. Punter Donnie Jones is poised to retire after a hearty 14 seasons in the NFL.
On Twitter, Eagles TE Zach Ertz thanked Celek for his contributions to the team not only during the 2017-2018 Super Bowl LII run but throughout his 11 seasons as an Eagle. While the Eagles were roughly $9 million over the salary cap, Celek boasted a $5 million cap charge for the 2018 season. Therefore, this significantly reduced the salary cap overage for Philly. It's still unclear what the Eagles plan to do with quarterback Nick Foles, though sources say Philly would like to keep him.
Celek's time with the Eagles
During his time as an Eagle, Celek caught an impressive 398 passes for just shy of 5,000 yards and a whopping 31 touchdowns. With 175 games played, Celek clocks in at fourth behind David Akers, Brian Dawkins, and Harold Carmichael, all fellow Eagles greats.
While it's unfortunate to part ways with Celek, it's at least encouraging that he was able to conclude his career in Philly with a highly sought after Super Bowl victory in a game, and season, that he substantially contributed to.
The 33-year-old Celek was selected as a fifth-round pick in the 2007 NFL draft as Bleeding Green Nation reports. With his departure, the Eagles are now under the salary cap, just in the nick of time for NFL free agency and its associated slew of roster moves.
With him, Celek takes his immense leadership, a considerable intangible on the field and in the locker room.
Since Trey Burton is signing with the Bears, that leaves Zach Ertz as the sole tight end in Philly. Presumably, this is a slot the Eagles will fill before the 2018-2019 pre-season begins. PhillyVoice allows that Trey Burton was "disappointed" that Philly did not attempt to retain him for the upcoming season.
In a similar salary cap move, right tackle Lane Johnson's contract has been "restructured" to free up around $7.5 million. Hopefully Brent Celek finds a home with a new NFL team, as the veteran still has a lot of game left in him. Even if he can't end his career in Philly, at least he departs with a much deserved Super Bowl win under his belt. Fly Eagles Fly!
