Jason Peters will turn 38 later this month but he’s still not ready to call it a career.
The Eagles’ left tackle, who will become a free agent in March, said after the Eagles’ 17-9 playoff loss to the Seahawks that he wants to play at least one more NFL season.
“I still can get it done,” Peters told reporters after the game. “If I couldn’t get it done, I would just walk away. But I can still go.”
Peters said he’s told the Eagles he wants to return next season but Sunday could have very well been his last game in an Eagles uniform. Peters played this past season on a reworked one-year deal and will become a free agent in March.
And the Eagles drafted Andre Dillard in the first round last spring for a reason. They took Dillard at No. 22 to be Peters’ eventual replacement at left tackle.
“If you want it to be it for me, you got another thing coming,” Peters said. “I can still go. I still got juice in the tank. Whether they sign me back here or not, I’m gonna play another year or two.”
It’s not that Peters was bad this year. He really wasn’t. But he’s no longer the same guy who was a nine-time Pro Bowler and the best tackle in the NFL. Those days are behind him.
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This season, Peters played in 13 of 16 games, missing three during the season after he had a knee scope for a torn meniscus. Once he returned to action in November, though, Peters played just about every snap.
“I got all the accolades, the All-Pros, the Pro Bowls, the Super Bowl,” Peters said. “But I want to play … as long as I can play, I want to go. I want to set the bar high for the guys behind me.”
Peters just finished his 16th NFL season; 11 of those have come with the Eagles. He really is an all-time Eagle but it might be time for the franchise to finally move on. It won’t be easy, but Dillard played fairly well when he was needed to fill in for Peters earlier in the season. And it has to happen eventually.
Peters is a big fan of Carson Wentz, which is one main reason he wants to be back in Philadelphia next season.
“Yeah, of course. The guy is a gunslinger,” he said. “Anytime you got him back there, it can be a touchdown or a big play. I’m excited to have the opportunity. If they sign me back, I’m gonna be here. The nature of the business, if not, I just hate it. But just gotta move on.”
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