Eagles' one question raises concerns about Jalen Hurts' protector opening

The Philadelphia Eagles have some job openings, and they need to fill them before the 2025 regular season begins.

Philadelphia needs to figure out who will be coming off the edge on defense besides Nolan Smith Jr. The safety position is also a concern as the Eagles look to find a replacement for C.J. Gardner-Johnson.

One position on offense needs to be resolved during training camp, and it is one of the most important ones. It has two responsibilities: protecting Jalen Hurts and opening up running lanes for Saquon Barkley.

Eagles must find one more offensive lineman to start

PFF writer Bradley Locker's recent article asks the biggest question for each NFL team after the draft. Locker's burning question for the Eagles is what are they going to do about the right guard position.

"When you’re the defending Super Bowl champions and didn’t suffer catastrophic personnel losses, there aren’t a ton of questions entering the following season (besides if you’ll be good enough to repeat). However, one of the few uncertainties surrounding this Eagles team resides at right guard.

With Mekhi Becton now a Charger, Philadelphia made two moves to land potential starters in his stead, including re-signing Matt Pryor (78.1 PFF pass-blocking grade) and trading for former first-round pick Kenyon Green (38.6 PFF overall grade). Philadelphia also returns Tyler Steen (40.7 PFF overall grade), who played 186 snaps at right guard in 2024. Pryor seems like the odds-on bet to claim the job next to Cam Jurgens and Lane Johnson, but Jeff Stoutland is capable of cultivating turnarounds, as we saw with the former first-rounder Becton a year ago."

The two names that have been more commonly brought up as potential starters at right guard are Steen and Green. Steen has experience in the offense and filled in just fine last season when asked to play. Green was a former first-round pick of the Houston Texans, but never lived up to his status. What helps Green is that he's 24 and has the potential to grow in the position.

Pryor is a sleeper at right guard. He started his career in Philadelphia and knows Stoutland. That relationship and familiarity with the offensive line's work could help with continuity.

The Eagles' biggest mystery heading into the new season is the right guard position, and they need to find the right man. There are three guys with potential, but with Stoutland coaching them, there is plenty of confidence that this will work out in Philadelphia's favor.