Zach Ertz, Eagles sign 5-year contract extension

The Philadelphia Eagles signed Zach Ertz to a five-year contract extension, according to an official announcement from the team. The 25-year-old tight end is now under contract through the 2021 NFL season. The deal is reportedly worth $42.5 million with $20 million guaranteed. That makes him the fourth highest paid tight end in terms of annual value and guaranteed money.

This contract extension doesn't come as a surprise. Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com recently reported that Ertz was one of three young players the Eagles are trying to re-sign.

Since being drafted in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft, Ertz has caught 169 receptions for 2,024 yards and nine touchdowns. Ertz got off to a bit of a slow start in 2015 after suffering an injury during training camp, but he was excellent down the stretch. In his final four games, he had 35 receptions for 450 yards (12.9 average) and one touchdown. The Eagles will hope he can continue to build on that progress.

Ertz posted the following message on his website:

Nothing could make me happier than knowing I’m going to be a member of the Philadelphia Eagles for years to come.

I love Philly. My family loves it. I love how passionate Eagles fans are about their football, how they live and breathe it. I put a lot of pressure on myself to be the best, and our fans want us to be successful as much as we want to be successful.

What I love more than anything is that fans here in Philadelphia are truly honest with you. If you’re not playing great, you’re going to hear about it. If you’re losing, you’re going to hear about it. If they’re not happy, they’re going to let you know.

I have no issue with that. I know when I’m messing up, and when I do, I feel the same way they do. In life, you have to be accountable. You reap what you sow. When we’re playing great and winning, our fans are the best fans in the world, and there’s no one else in the league I’d rather play for.

That’s the way it should be.

This past season taught me a lot, and tested me in ways I had never imagined. Over the coming offseason, I’ll be getting back to the grind, and working toward next year. I’ve got a lot of motivation. We all do.

I couldn’t be more proud to be putting that work in for the Eagles, and for the city of Philadelphia. My sincerest thank you to Mr. Lurie and the rest of the organization for making this commitment to me. I am committed to doing everything I can to be the best player I can be, and to help our team get back to the Super Bowl and win it.

Let’s get to work.

Developing story - more details coming. Check back often for updates.