The Philadelphia Eagles have signed fifth-round draft pick Jeremy Bloom to a four-year deal worth $1.782 million. Bloom, who is the fourth Eagles draft pick to sign so far, is a former Olympic moguls skier. He was on the U.S. freestyle skiing team in the 2002 and 2006 Olympics, but did not win a medal. He has not played football since 2003, but the Eagles feel they can utilize him in special roles.

Bloom left the University of Colorado a few years ago after losing an eligibility appeal with the NCAA. Supposedly, he accepted funding money to aid him in his skiing career. The Eagles hope that Bloom can be a contributor on special teams, possibly as a punt returner. Last year, the Eagles only averaged 8.5 yards on punt returns. Bloom averaged 13.5 yards on 45 returns in college, scoring twice.

Bloom is has a very small size for the NFL at 5-foot-9, 173 pounds. Considering his size, and hiatus from football, many teams were reluctant in selecting Bloom. In college, although not playing much, Bloom showed that he had the potential to make big plays on a consistent basis.

Earlier on Monday, the Eagles signed offensive guard Max Jean-Gilles to a four-year deal.