The Eagles continued their busy start to the month by agreeing to a three-year contract extension with offensive lineman Isaac Seumalo on Monday, locking up a player who could be part of the Eagles' starting offensive line for the foreseeable future.
Seumalo, 25, had one year remaining on his rookie contract after the team selected him in the third round of the 2016 draft. He's now under contract through 2022.
Seumalo finished last season as the team's starting left guard, a role he had actually lost to Stefen Wisniewski early in the 2017 season. Nonetheless, the team has been bullish about Seumalo for three seasons. They gave him the starting job in 2017 after trading Allen Barbre, put him back in the lineup last season over Wisniewski even though Wisniewski started in the Super Bowl, and recently identified him as a player they wanted to keep moving forward. He has 15 career starts, including nine last season.
Seumalo's versatility is an asset _ he can play tackle, guard, and center _ and he was once viewed as Jason Kelce's potential replacement at center for the Eagles. Kelce, of course, signed a contract extension Saturday. Seumalo could play next to Kelce for as long as Kelce remains with the Eagles.
The Eagles have a decision to make about Wisniewski, who will count $3.7 million against the salary cap next season. He can be a key reserve at three interior line spots, and that might even require spot starting for right guard Brandon Brooks if Brooks misses time while returning from a torn Achilles tendon. But there's no clear starting job for Wisniewski if the team is committed to Seumalo, and that's an expensive cap number for a reserve.
The Eagles have signed Seumalo, Kelce, and defensive end Brandon Graham to contract extensions in the past four days. The league year will begin March 13, when the Eagles can begin making trades and signing free agents.
