Kelly: Peters Is the Exception To Every Rule

Jason Peters didn’t understand the question.

A reporter asked him today if he could get back to being the player who made it to five straight Pro Bowls from 2007 to 2011.

“What you mean?” Peters asked. “I am that player. I don’t play no less than I played last year [2011]. I’m gonna go out there and give it 100 percent and let the fans and the coaches vote. That’s not even my goal. My goal is to get a division championship and get to the playoffs and go deep.”

Peters has sounded confident all offseason and looked impressive on the practice fields. Coaches have expressed no doubt that he can get back to being the best left tackle in the NFL, despite having injured and re-injured his Achilles last offseason.

“I don’t think there is a player like him in the world to be honest with you,” Chip Kelly said. “Someone that big, that fast, that athletic. I catch myself in practice just kind of going, ‘Wow.’ He’s 350 pounds and he runs like he is a tight end. He’s an exception to every rule, so I don’t think studying guys who have had Achilles injuries and say, ‘That guy would be like Jason.’ He didn’t have any ill effects when he was here during the spring and he hasn’t shown anything, he’s not getting any extra treatment or anything like that. He’s been cleared 100 percent.”

Peters was arrested last month, but had charges reduced to having improper equipment, according to various reports.

“It wasn’t nothing major,” Peters said. “It was a ticket. They dropped it, threw it out. It wasn’t nothing major. So I wasn’t never worried about that.”

Did he talk to Kelly about it?

“Yeah, we talked,” Peters said. “What we talked about is behind closed doors. He told me, ‘Don’t worry about it. Get ready for training camp.’ ”

As for the Achilles, Peters said he’s “full tilt” and not operating with any limitations. The entire starting offensive line (Peters, Evan Mathis, Jason Kelce, Todd Herremans and Lane Johnson) practiced together during today’s session, an encouraging sign after last year’s disaster.

Peters was asked if he expects to improve on last year’s win total.

“I guarantee we win more than four games,” he said. “That’s probably the worst we could have done was win four last year. But I guarantee you we’re gonna win more than four this year.”

How many more?

“Can’t say,” Peters said. “I wish all of them.”

Tim McManus contributed to this article.

Follow Sheil Kapadia on Twitter and e-mail him at skapadia@phillymag.com.
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