Jason Peters will be Eagles LT After All
PHILADELPHIA – There was a knock on the office door of Eagles head coach Doug Pederson on Monday morning and in stepped Jason Peters.
“It's a big man walking through my door, and I was happy to see Jason Peters,” said Pederson.
Peters had a message to deliver. He told Pederson that he would be willing to move from right guard back to left tackle, the position where he has constructed a potential Hall of Fame career.
Not a minute too soon, either, with the season opener just days away against the Washington Football Team on Sunday afternoon.
Pederson said he was "thrilled to death" with the decision.
“This is the unselfishness, this is who he is,” said Pederson. “When we talk about guys and we talk specifically about Jason Peters, this is who he is, he sacrifices not only his body but for the football team.
“He did an outstanding job for us at right guard. It was a valuable experience for him to play over there on the right side and get some interior work, but as he looks at not only where we are, but where he is, he came into today and he was excited to move to left tackle.”
Now 38, this will be Peters’ 11th season opener as the Eagles’ left tackle. He missed the 2012 opener, and that season, with a torn Achilles.
Quarterback Carson Wentz is obviously the biggest benefactor of Peters’ move.
“I’m excited about that for him and for this team,” said Wentz on Monday. “I’ve had JP back there blocking my blindside pretty much every year. Obviously, he’s missed a couple of games with injuries and stuff over the years, but he’s been the guy.
“He’s been the guy out there and done a great job. We call him ‘The Bodyguard’ for a reason. He always takes care of me, so I’m pretty excited that he’s back there.”
Who would be the Eagles’ left tackle was a question bandied about since it was announced a couple of weeks ago that Andre Dillard had torn a biceps and would miss the season.
Peters had been working at right guard, trying to replace starter Brandon Brooks, who tore an Achilles in early June and is also expected to miss 2020.
The Eagles had hesitated to move Peters because they said he was doing a good job at right guard and didn’t want to affect too many positions at once. Also, an unspoken factor by anyone on the team was Peters' desire for a pay bump to move from right guard to left tackle.
Pederson did not want to comment on whether or not Peters’ salary was increased or not.
As for who will now step in at right guard, Matt Pryor, who had been trying to become a left tackle despite never playing there since getting drafted two years ago, could now move into that spot.
Pryor got some experience there last year.
Again, though, Pederson did not want to reveal just yet who will line up at right guard. He mentioned second-year player Nate Herbig as a possibility in addition to Pryor as well as rookie Jack Driscoll.
“First of all, we have to get JP caught up,” said the coach. “He is comfortable there, but we've got to get him caught up, back with the terminology and working with Isaac (Seumalo at left guard) again and all that. That's kind of the first thing.
“We've got some options at the right guard position. But with this move with Jason Peters, it really kind of solidifies that left side for us and really puts us in a little bit better position moving forward.”
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