Cedric Thornton, who began his career as an undrafted member of the Eagles’ practice squad in 2011, on Monday signed his one-year tender.
Thornton had been a restricted free agent. The Eagles offered him a second-round tender, worth $2.356 million for 2015. There’s no bonus with a tender, and Thornton will count $2.356 million against the Eagles’ cap.
If the Eagles don’t sign Thornton to a long-term deal, he would become an unrestricted free agent after the season.
The agreement with Thornton leaves running back Chris Polk as the Eagles’ only unsigned restricted free agent.
Thornton, who played college football at Southern Arkansas, was signed by the Eagles in 2011 after he went undrafted. He spent the first 14 weeks on the practice squad before joining the 53-man roster the last three weeks of the season.
He played all 16 games in 2012 and has started all 32 games the last two years, playing defensive end in 2013 in a 4-3 and in a 3-4 last year.
Thornton, a run-stopping specialist, is one of only five players that’s played in all 49 of the Eagles’ games over the past three years. The others are Jon Dorenbos, Brandon Boykin, Brandon Graham and Casey Matthews.
He’s also one of only five Eagles to start all 32 games over the last two years, along with Fletcher Cox, LeSean McCoy, Jason Peters and Cary Williams.