Eagles Training Camp Preview: Offensive Line
The offensive line has been the Eagles’ anchor for most of the past decade, with Jason Peters starting the previous 11 years at left tackle, Jason Kelce starting at center since 2011, and Lane Johnson holding down the right side since 2013, and Brandon Brooks ensconced at right guard since 2016.
That right there is stability and continuity, just the way the Eagles like it.
The offensive and defensive lines are where they like to invest the big bucks, and they have done that with both sides of the ball.
There has been some upheaval this offseason, some moving parts brought on by circumstance.
There will be a new starting left tackle since Tra Thomas’ final year in 2008. Peters was gone and is now back, but he will be a guard.
Brooks is out for the year with an injury, so the right guard will be somebody different. It’s supposed to be Peters, but a lot can happen between now and opening day, which is supposed to be on Sept. 13.
Here is a closer look at the offensive line as our training camp preview looking at each position group continues.
DEPTH CHART
LT: Andre Dillard, Jason Peters, Prince Tega Wangoho
LG: Isaac Seumalo, Matt Pryor, Sua Opeta
C: Jason Kelce, Nate Herbig, Luke Juriga
RG: Jason Peters, Matt Pryor, Sua Opeta
RT: Lane Johnson, Jason Peters, Jordan Mailata
*Brandon Brooks to IR
WHAT’S CHANGED
Newcomers: Jack Driscoll, Prince Tega Wanogho, Luke Juriga, Julian Good-Jones, Casey Tucker
Driscoll is likely to shift to the interior of the line and could find a home on the depth chart ahead of Opeta.
The hope for Wanogho is that he can become the backup at both tackle spots, but it figures to take some time to happen.
Departures: Halapoulivaati Vaitai, who left for big money from the Detroit Lions in free agency, and Brooks, who won’t play in 2020. Both are significant losses.
HIGHLIGHT REEL
Enjoy watching Jason Kelce while you can because each year the Pro Bowl center carefully examines his future in the game. Two years ago, he gave the thought of retirement some heavy consideration. Last year, not so much.
“For me, last year, I very much felt comfortable with the way the season went,” said Kelce when he last talked with reporters in mid-May. “I was pretty solidified early on that I was going to play another season and I let the team know that very quickly.
“Physically it was one of the easier seasons for me. I feel good. I have my little stuff I have to do here and there and that’s annoying but definitely manageable.”
Centers don’t get a lot of eyeballs on them after the ball is snapped because fans have a tendency to follow the ball. Isolate on Kelce and watch how athletic he is and how he has helped redefine the position.
Not only is a fun watch on the field but entertaining off of it as his legendary speech in a Mummers costume at the foot of the Art Museum stairs during the Eagles Super Bowl parade in 2018 attests.
Kelce also had some fun this past offseason when he made an announcement on social media that he was retiring … from arm wrestling, a “sport” that turned up on social media with him arm-wrestling Eagles fans.
“I didn’t feel like I needed to make a statement but felt like enough people were asking what was going on, so I decided to make that joking post (on retiring from arm wrestling).
Articles have been released that I’m contemplating retirement and contemplating life after football the last few seasons and this has turned into a ‘Is a returning, when is he retiring?’ I can’t say this enough, when I’ve decided to retire you guys will know and it will be a very loud and emphatic statement.”
CAMP BATTLES
Much of the drama was removed when Jason Peters was brought back on July 14 to play right guard. Or has it?
With the return of the multiple Pro Bowler back in the fold, Dillard could feel like he’s walking on eggshells, with his first misstep leading to a seat on the bench. So, in a sense, the biggest camp battle could be between Dillard and Peters. Peters’ return to left tackle could also hinge on what kind of camp Matt Pryor has. If it looks like Pryor is ready to grow on the game-experience he received last year, and Dillard struggles, the Eagles may not wait on the decision to pull the plug on Dillard.
Head coach Doug Pederson will be in lockstep with the front office and GM Howie Roseman on giving Dillard every shot to succeed since Roseman traded to take Dillard in the first round of last year’s draft.
The bottom of the roster could pit Nate Herbig against Luke Juriga.
ROCKY: THE LONGSHOT
Jordan Mailata shot at a roster spot got much more difficult this offseason when the Eagles took two tackles in the draft. This is a big camp for the mammoth Mailata if he wants to prove he can make the transition from being a star on the rugby field of Australia to a football player in America.
WHO STAYS ON THE 53?
Kelce, Peters, Johnson, Dillard, Seumalo, Pryor, Herbig, Wanogho, Driscoll, Opeta.
WHO GOES?
Good-Jones, Mailata, Juriga, Tucker.
Expect Juriga to land on the extended practice squad and maybe one other.
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