Eagles' Short-Term Plan For Star O-Lineman's Absence Likely To Be More Conservative

PHILADELPHIA - The Eagles dodged a pretty significant bullet Monday after an MRI revealed that three-time Pro Bowl left guard Landon Dickerson suffered a meniscus injury in his right knee about two hours into Sunday night's open practice at Lincoln Financial Field.

Dickerson will undergo “minor” surgery on the injury and will be listed as week-to-week with an eye on returning for the season opener against Dallas on Sept. 4.

The news of the procedure was first reported by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo and confirmed by a league source to Eagles On SI.

Typically, there are two ways to handle a meniscus tear, and the more conservative treatment is known as a trim. That's likely the procedure that Dickerson will be undergoing in order to play this season. A full repair would have put the entire campaign in doubt for the former Alabama All-American.

Whether Dickerson can return by Week 1 or not, he will likely be back in the equation early in the season, which will almost certainly change the Eagles' short-term approach moving forward for the rest of the summer.

Versatile veteran Brett Toth has been Dickerson’s primary backup this summer, but had the absence been an extended one, offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland likely would have entertained moving parts to get his five best available options on the field.

Early speculation there would have been projected starting RG Tyler Steen shifting over to Dickerson's LG position, and inserting Matt Pryor in at RG after a season in which the 2018 Eagles' draft pick excelled at that position in Chicago.

A more conservative approach will likely be in play now, beginning at Tuesday's scheduled practice at the NovaCare Complex. Toth and second-year player Trevor Keegan, who has been cross-training at center in camp, will almost certainly get the lion's share of the reps in place of Dickerson while Pryor and Darian Kinnard remain the main backups on the right side.

Dickerson's injury may also open the door for trade pickup Kenyon Green, the 2022 first-round pick of the Houston Texans, who was acquired in the deal for C.J. Gardner-Johnson in March. Green has started 23 career games at left guard, but was often ineffective with the Texans and has been slowed by a shoulder injury suffered in last Thursday's preseason win over Cincinnati.

Dickerson is regarded as one of the Eagles' toughest players and has both a long history of knee injuries dating back to college days at Florida State and Alabama, as well as a resume of playing through pain,

Most recently, the veteran star toiled through a knee injury in the NFC Championship Game that cost him the second half against Washington, and extended through Super Bowl LIX where Dickerson fought through all 60 minutes despite being limited by the injury, which ultimately required offseason surgery.

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