Jason Kelce the Glue that will Hold O-Line Together in these Uncertain Times

PHILADELPHIA – As bleak as the Eagles’ offensive line situation looks just days away from the season opener, it could always be worse.

Imagine, for instance, if Jason Kelce had walked into retirement during the offseason.

Not that he contemplated it as much as he had in prior years, but to not have the anchor of the Eagles’ offensive line going into Landover, Md., to take on NFC East opponent Washington would be devastating, especially now when the line may need him most.

Kelce will once again line up at center on opening day. This will be his 10th straight season doing that, which is every year he has been in the league since joining the NFL as a sixth-round pick in 2011.

Sunday will mark his 81st straight game played and will be his 127th start.

“He's been the anchor of that offensive line,” said head coach Doug Pederson prior to Wednesday’s practice. “His availability to play year in and year out, to be the starter, it's impeccable. We ask a lot of him, obviously, with communication and what he sees defensively to make all the calls. Having him anchor that offensive line goes a long way for the success of that group.”

It’s easy to lose sight of Kelce, especially these past couple of weeks during which the offensive line has taken some hits.

The first one actually came in early June when Brandon Brooks tore an Achilles again and will likely miss the season. That opened a spot at right guard and Jason Peters was re-signed to take over there.

Then Andre Dillard went down with a bicep injury midway through training camp and will miss the season. That opened a hole at left tackle that, just earlier this week, Peters agreed to return to.

Matt Pryor will start at right guard now and he has some familiarity there, after starting in last January’s playoff loss to Seattle.

“That was obviously valuable experience for him to step in and play that right guard position,” said Pederson on Wednesday morning. “He's comfortable over there. He and Lane work well together and did last year and whatnot, and hopefully, he continues to grow in that position.”

Oh yes, Lane Johnson.

While Pryor and Johnson may work well together, it may not be this week because Johnson’s availability for Sunday is still unclear. The right tackle missed all of training camp, so who knows what will happen Sunday?

Even Pederson isn’t sure right now, calling him day-to-day.

“Lane is a valuable piece to our offensive line, but yet we've got to prepare everybody if Lane is not available, and we've got to get our young guys ready to go,” said the coach.

At least Kelce is still around, and, in times like these, that should not be overlooked or taken for granted, especially when you see Nate Herbig listed as No. 2 on the depth chart at center. No offense to Herbig, but he is still very raw, just having turned 22 in July and only in his second season as an undrafted free agent.

Kelce is irreplaceable right now.

He is the great communicator of calls on that line and the glue that holds it together, and this is a line that needs him more than ever right now.

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