The Philadelphia Eagles agreed to contract terms with second-round pick Cam Jurgens. The tough, physical center from Nebraska was the final rookie from their five-man draft class to ink a deal. The Eagles are ready for training camp.
Jurgens was chosen 51st overall and hand-picked by Jason Kelce to be his successor. He’s estimated to earn $6.9 million over four years on his rookie deal, plus a $2.2 million signing bonus. The Boston Globe’s Ben Volin explained what was holding negotiations up and how the financials were expected to shake out, via NJ Advance Media.
The 6-foot-3, 290-pounder will be cross-trained at multiple positions on the offensive line, but he’s a center by trade and the Eagles hope to plug him in there once Kelce decides to retire. Jurgens started every game at center for Nebraska in 2021, including 18 consecutive starts. He entered the year on the Rimington Trophy Watch List while earning third-team All-Big 10 honors.
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Kelce Sees ‘Physical, Tough’ Potential Replacement
Kelce was one of the guys tasked with scouting Jurgens before the Eagles selected him. The 22-year-old beef jerky maker reminded Kelce a lot of himself, particularly his athleticism and toughness.
“Cam is not only athletic, he plays hard, he plays physical, he’s tough,” Kelce told reporters on May 4. “All the times you see him miss a block, a lot of it is just over-aggression or not tempo-ing it properly, very correctable things.
“So, I think you’re looking at all that stuff whenever you’re looking at any young guy or my own tape. I think you’re trying to find out what one of these mistakes is correctable. Is he strong enough? Is he fast enough? Are there things that make him unique? All those things.”
Eagles Autism Foundation Wraps Up Busy Week
The Eagles Autism Foundation wrapped up a busy week raising money for research and advocacy. According to the CDC, approximately 1 in 44 children are diagnosed on the autism spectrum. The Eagles have been at the forefront of autism awareness since 2018.
On Wednesday, Jason Kelce held his second annual bartending/fundraising event at the Ocean Drive in Sea Isle City, New Jersey where they raised $150,000 for the Eagles Autism Foundation. Kelce and his wife, Kylie, helped raise that total with a matching donation of $50,000.
The Eagles also hosted a two-day golf outing at the Merion Golf Club for the first-ever Eagles Autism Golf Invitational. They had 22 three-somes pay $25,000 each, per the team’s website, and welcomed Eagles legends like Brian Dawkins, Ron Jaworski, Harold Carmichael, and Brian Westbrook. A 2023 golf outing has been scheduled for June 11-12 at Merion.
“I’m so thankful to everyone who used their celebrity status to bring everyone together with this personal connection,” said Ryan Hammond, executive director of the Eagles Autism Foundation. “Not everyone is comfortable talking about autism. It’s very, very difficult for a lot of people. I think what we’ve been able to do is to provide acceptance for the community.”
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Contract Details Revealed for Eagles ‘Tough, Physical’ Rookie