Eagles Sign TE/FB Kris Wilson

Former Kansas City Cheif Kris Wilson visited with the Eagles on Wednesday, and the two sides had a deal done by the end of the day. Details inside.

After signing three new players on defense since free agency began at the end of February, the Eagles addressed the offensive side of the ball on Wednesday by signing former Kansas City Chief and Pennsylvania native Kris Wilson to a three-year contract.

Wilson, who attended J.P. McCaskey High School in Lancaster, played tight end, H-back, and fullback during his tenure with the Chiefs and has 42 receptions for 345 yards and four touchdowns in his career. A second-round pick by Kansas City in 2002, Wilson joins the Eagles with an open mind about what kind of role he will play in Philadelphia.

“I’m here to play football, compete, and to try to get a chair in the room,” said Wilson at his first press conference with his new team.

While the 6-foot-2, 251-pound Wilson started 12 games at fullback for the Chiefs last season; the Eagles intend for him to primarily play tight end.

“Out in Kansas City, they were looking for ways to get me on the field and the opportunity arose at fullback, so we took advantage of it,” Wilson said. “My strengths are stretching the field, catching the ball, beating defenders one-on-one, mixing it up and blocking guys; a lot of the all-around things that tight ends do. I think, at the tight end position, you have to be a jack of all trades.”

With the Chiefs, Wilson’s playing time at tight end was limited because he played behind All Pro Tony Gonzalez. Although there is already a crowd at the position in Philadelphia, with L.J. Smith, Matt Schobel, and Brent Celek on the roster, the former Pitt standout (he started all four years in college) had both professional and personal reasons for picking the Eagles as his new team.

“I definitely wanted to go somewhere where we’re going to win games,” said Wilson. “Also, being in a good offense, a balanced attack that can kill you with the run or kill you with the pass. Being close to home, I’m a Pennsylvania Boy. I grew up in the area. I still live in the area, although I live in Jersey now. I grew up an Eagles fan.”

Andrew Pluta can be reached at [e-mail]