Howie Roseman’s Eagles are about to face questions that nobody saw coming

Fears of a worst-case scenario were justified, however.

The Eagles let 2024 starter Mekhi Becton walk in free agency, leaving a hole to fill at right guard. That spot has been manned by Tyler Steen throughout the offseason with little competition, and any injury to Dickerson — or Cam Jurgens, Lane Johnson or Jordan Mailata, for that matter — could raise immediate concerns for the engine that makes Philly’s powerful offense run.

ESPN analyst questions Eagles’ offensive line depth after Dickerson scare

The Eagles took an economical approach to 2025 free agency, leaving some positions — like EDGE, wide receiver and safety — a bit thin. The two groups nobody was flagging back in March were the offensive and defensive lines. Building from the trenches out is a staple of general manager Howie Roseman, and one of the main reasons he’s lauded across the NFL.

But did Roseman do enough to reinforce the best offensive line in football? Dan Orlovsky of ESPN isn’t so sure, stating during Monday morning’s episode of Get Up that Dickerson’s injury could have “Super Bowl repeat impact.”

“That’s not being dramatic. He’s one of the best guards in football. Saquon Barkley ran basically untouched for about 500 yards behind, directly, Landon Dickerson. … And it’s not just the run game, either. I mean, if we just go back to last year directly with Jalen Hurts. One of the things that Jalen did not do a good job of last year was that handling of the pocket, sometimes leaving it too much. He doesn’t necessarily throw down the middle of the field a ton because of vision. So if that internal part of the pocket is even weaker than it could have been, not only will it be impacting the running game, but it will also be impacting the protection.”

Multiple Eagles beat reporters expect Steen to switch over to the left side, with Matt Pryor stepping into the starting right guard spot in Dickerson’s absence for the remainder of training camp and the preseason. Pryor struggled to catch on as a former sixth-round draft pick of the Eagles in 2018, but he was a productive starter for the Chicago Bears last season and could be a solid short-term option in September, if called upon.

The Eagles aren’t in need of offensive line reinforcements (yet)

The uncertainty over Dickerson’s status for Week 1 will almost certainly lead to speculation about Philly’s next move. And while it’s hard to be in love with the Eagles’ offensive line depth beyond the current starters, the reality here is that Roseman planned for this exact scenario.

The Eagles raised some eyebrows when they traded C.J. Gardner-Johnson to the Texans for a package that included struggling guard Kenyon Green in the offseason. More surprising is that the Eagles have kept Green on the left side, behind Dickerson, throughout camp despite having what most expected to be an open competition on the right side.

With Steen now locked into a starting job and a group that includes Pryor, Green, and veteran Brett Toth behind him, the Eagles likely feel comfortable with their original plan, for now. Even if Dickerson struggles with the injury and misses real games, the Eagles have the experience and coaching to stay on track.

But that won't stop analysts from placing the microscope on Philly's offensive line depth going forward.