The Eagles locked up another young piece of their core, signing defensive end Trent Cole to a five-year contract extension through the 2013 season.

Cole, who leads the team with 6 1/2 quarterback sacks, was a fifth-round draft pick last year.

"I can get all the money in the world, but I'm still going to play hard and I'm going to be the same person," Cole said. "I'm happy right now. I love to play this game."

Cole, a product of the University of Cincinnati, has an incredible motor, is very strong off the edge and is a relentless pass rusher. He has made his mark as one of the game's best young defensive ends, and the Eagles have inked him to a long-term deal.

Cole's dedication to the game has paid off thanks to an offseason during which he worked on fundamentals and added some weight without sacrificing speed.

"I think I'm a more sound player. I use my hands a lot more. I use a lot more moves and I use my moves better when I attack my opponent," Cole said. "Coming in as a rookie, I used to come off real fast and wild.

"I think I've been more successful being more sound."

One of the league's top, young pass rushing defensive ends, Cole has posted 11.5 sacks in his first 23 career games (13 starts), including four multi-sack outings. Since joining the Eagles in 2005, Cole leads the Eagles in sacks (11.5) and is ranked second in quarterback hurries (19) during that time span. He has totaled 99 tackles, including seven stops for a loss.

Cole credits his early success to "heart and determination."

But he's far from satisfied.

"I don't think I'll ever be satisfied," Cole said. "I still want to rise to the top. I still want to be the best. I want to be known as one of the best pass rushers in the NFL."