Eagles' Short-Term Plan For Star O-Lineman's Absence Likely To Be More Conservative

The Eagles dodged a pretty significant bullet Monday after an MRI revealed that three-time Pro Bowl left guard Landon Dickerson suffered a meniscus injury in his right knee about two hours into Sunday night's open practice at Lincoln Financial Field.

Dickerson will undergo “minor” surgery on the injury and will be listed as week-to-week with an eye on returning for the season opener against Dallas on Sept. 4.

The news of the procedure was first reported by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo and confirmed by a league source to Eagles On SI.

Typically, there are two ways to handle a meniscus tear, and the more conservative treatment is known as a trim. That's likely the procedure that Dickerson will be undergoing in order to play this season. A full repair would have put the entire campaign in doubt for the former Alabama All-American.

Whether Dickerson can return by Week 1 or not, he will likely be back in the equation early in the season, which will almost certainly change the Eagles' short-term approach moving forward for the rest of the summer.

Versatile veteran Brett Toth has been Dickerson’s primary backup this summer, but had the absence been an extended one, offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland likely would have entertained moving parts to get his five best available options on the field.

Early speculation there would have been projected starting RG Tyler Steen shifting over to Dickerson's LG position, and inserting Matt Pryor in at RG after a season in which the 2018 Eagles' draft pick excelled at that position in Chicago.