Matt Pryor Saw Rare Extended Snaps Last Week

Playing time in the future for backups like the second-year offensive lineman will be difficult to come by with entire Eagles' line locked up for years to come

Matt Pryor got his first big gulp of NFL playing time last week in a 17-9 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

Unless something drastic happens again, it will be his final taste for the foreseeable future. The Eagles’ offensive line is signed, sealed and delivered for the next several years, so for a versatile lineman like Pryor, he will have to be satisfied with being a backup.

“Of course, anybody who’s in the league wants to be on the field, but I know my role right now and that’s just to be prepared if anything else happens, and I’m OK with that until I can show I ready to be a bigger part of it,” sad Pryor.

Pryor, who was picked in the sixth round of the 2018 NFL Draft out of Texas Christian University, could show that, but there just isn’t an opening on the offensive line right now, even though he is versatile enough to play either the right or left side of the line and play either guard or tackle.

The Eagles have committed nearly $125 million through 2024 on the right side, with contract extensions for guard Brandon Brooks on Nov. 11 and one for tackle Lane Johnson on Friday night that makes Johnson the highest paid offensive lineman in the NFL.

Rookie Andre Dillard will be the left tackle when Jason Peters retires, left guard Isaac Seumalo has played well and is under contract through 2022 and center Jason Kelce is signed through 2021.

Pryor played 42 snaps (57 percent) at right guard against the Seahawks, because Brooks checked out after two series when his anxiety flared up on game day for the first time since 2016.

It was his first extended playing time, he said, since the Alamo Bowl in 2017 when he started on TCU’s line against Stanford.

“Being a backup you’re a little more laid back, but each week I just try to prepare like (line coach Jeff Stoutland) tells me,” said Pryor. “But I don’t feel like you’re ever really prepared for that kind of situation. You do your best when you get in there.

“Learning rookie year really heled a lot, but like I said, you prepare your best and when your name is called you try to do the best you can. If (Sunday’s extended playing time) would’ve happened last year, I don’t know if I would’ve been ready or not. I really don’t think anybody is ready for the moment, all you can do is prepare your best and do what you’re trained to do.”

It may be a long time before Pryor is again asked to step into a moment with that much playing time.