Eagles starting offensive line texted Brandon Brooks to recruit him to Philadelphia

A big reason why Brandon Brooks signed with Eagles in NFL free agency is because the team gave him a contract worth $40 million. Money wasn't the only factor, however, since Brooks said he had other offers. One reason the Eagles had an edge over Brooks' other suitors is thanks to the effort from the team's starting offensive lineman.

"The biggest thing for me is, when [the legal tampering window] opened up on Monday, pretty much from the get go, the Eagles let me know that I was their guy," Brooks explained. "I felt wanted. Players on the team ... [Jason] Peters, [Jason] Kelce, Lane [Johnson, all texted me saying 'Come here, we've got an opportunity to build something great.' I felt wanted. Players were texting me. I'm hyped and ready to go."

It's cool to see the offensive line knows they need improvement and wanted to bring a new guy into the mix. Brooks, who was a successful blocker during his team in Houston, figures to be a significant upgrade at right guard. That spot was a weakness in 2015 with the combination of Andrew Gardner and Matt Tobin playing snaps there. Brooks says he looks forward to playing with the offensive linemen that recruited him to Philly.

"I know Lane is one of the best young right tackles in the league. I know Kelce's been doing this for a long time. He's one of the best pulling center that I've ever seen since I've been watching the game. I really want to learn from Kelce. He does a lot of things at a high level. Great guy. Like I said, he was probably the first or second guy to text me saying 'We can build and do great things here.' I really want to have him take me under his wing, along with Peters, and hopefully it'll elevate my game to their level."

Brooks also shared his thoughts on Eagles offensive line Jeff Stoutland.

"Well, some things I know [about him]. I know he was at Alabama. Alabama every year has a great offensive line. I know he was kept here from the last staff, the last head coach. I was learning some things, sitting down with him today. The first thing I realized is he's an intense, fiery guy. Throughout my career, intense, fiery guys -- along with my effort -- have gotten the best out of me. That being said, I think he's extremely knowledgeable. I don't think he treats every player like a cookie cutter. Each and every player, he sits down and takes time with, and does things of nature that. So every conversation I've had with him thus far, whether it was with him here or over the phone, it's been good."

Brooks ended his presser by saying his impression on Philadelphia, based on what he's heard, is that it's a "smaller, cleaner" New York. I'm sure people will enjoy that one.