PHILADELPHIA -- Darren Sproles spent three seasons as Jimmy Graham's teammate with the New Orleans Saints. He knows a good tight end when he sees one, and in Zach Ertz, Sproles sees one.

"He has great hands," Sproles said after the Philadelphia Eagles' final minicamp practice Thursday. "He's about to be a superstar."

Ertz has worked out with Sproles and some other NFL stars -- including Drew Brees, Carson Palmer and Brandin Cooks -- in San Diego this offseason. That group will reassemble between now and the start of training camps in August.

"You see the pace we have here?" Sproles said. "We train at the same pace."

Sproles has been practicing with the Eagles' wide receivers as much as with the running backs during the offseason. Apparently, coach Chip Kelly has a plan to get the ball into Sproles' hands more often than he did last year.

The same appears to be true of Ertz. He worked with longtime NFL offensive line coach Hudson Houck to improve his blocking. He sought out the advice of retired NFL tight end Tony Gonzalez. Ertz has said his goal is to be the greatest tight end ever.

"I don't really care where he's rated," Kelly said. "I know he's doing a great job for us. He's got an unbelievable work ethic, has really had no offseason in terms of what he did ... from when our season ended against the Giants to when we started the offseason program in terms of what he did to work on his craft and make himself better not only as a receiver but as a blocker.

"A lot of guys do things and try to get with a coach to prepare them for the combine but then they forget about that. Zach is not that type. He was traveling all over the country trying to make himself a better blocker, a better receiver, doing all the little teeny things that's going to make him kind of take that next step, and that's what we're excited to see where he goes with that."

The next step will be in San Diego with Sproles and Brees. After that, Ertz can set his sights on Graham and Rob Gronkowski.