It's not even training camp but Eagles have fierce competition at right guard

Boy, we've come a long way, haven't we? It felt like the Philadelphia Eagles and their fans would never escape being the perpetual punchline to the joke that was the 2011 "Dream Team" season. Well now, as the Eagles attempt to win their second Super Bowl in a row (and appear in their third in three years), in an effort and win their third Super Bowl in franchise history, the loaded roster, or dare we say ACTUAL dream team, should be ready to once again power them. What a life we live.

Having said all of that, this roster isn't without mystery or even uncertainty. One of, if not the biggest (and we do mean biggest), factors in the success of the Eagles in the last decade, but especially in the 2020s, has been the offensive line.

The Eagles' offensive line has been dominant, thanks in large part to the large parts, and also to coach Jeff Stoutland. Now, a starting spot is up for grabs.

One of the greatest success stories at Jeff Stoutland University was Mekhi Becton a season ago. Cast off as a draft bust of a tackle by the New York Jets, Becton became an outstanding guard for the Eagles and parlayed that into a much-deserved payday with the Los Angeles Chargers. With that being the case, there is now an opening at the starting right guard spot.

There are several candidates studying at Jeff Stoutland University hoping to take over as the new starting right guard of the Eagles, so let's break it down.

Tyler Steen

The 2023 third-round pick was penciled in to take over last season at right guard before an ankle injury allowed Becton to take over. The 6'6" 321-pound converted tackle would undoubtedly help the Eagles maintain their status as the biggest offensive line in the game. Still, he would also help the Eagles keep a level of consistency.

Steen does have playing time experience, which includes four starts. One of those starts was the NFC Championship when Landon Dickerson had to move to center while he and Cam Jurgens were banged up, and the offense didn't miss a beat. They scored a season-high 55 points. No doubt Steen is the favorite to take the job entering training camp.

Kenyon Green

If Steen is the favorite, Kenyon Green may not be too far behind. Like Becton, the 6'4" 325-pound Green is a former first-round pick cast aside by the team that drafted him, in this case being the Houston Texans. The Eagles' acquisition of Green is notable in this position battle for two reasons.

The first being that Green joins the midnight green because the Eagles sent C.J. Gardner-Johnson to Houston in the trade to acquire him. The second reason is that the Eagles declined his fifth-year option, making this a prove-it situation similar to Becton's. Green will get every opportunity to try and win the job.

Matt Pryor

Perhaps the most interesting situation here is Matt Pryor. The Eagles drafted Pryor as a tackle back in 2018, and he ended up starting 10 games in 2020 at left guard. They then traded him to the Indianapolis Colts that offseason, where he started 12 games at both left tackle and right guard in Indy.

He then landed with the San Francisco 49ers in 2023, but did not make a start. Ultimately, he landed with the Chicago Bears a season ago, starting 15 games at right guard. Now, he's back in the City of Brotherly Love. The 6'7" 332-pounder is the biggest horse in this race and is a combo of Steen, Becton, and Green journey-wise. He should be interesting to watch.

Trevor Keegan

Sticking with the horse race analogies, we have the dark horse candidate in this race in Trevor Keegan. The Eagles drafted the 6'5" 306-pound Michigan man in the fifth round a year ago, fresh off a national title with the Wolverines, and he notched 35 snaps last year under his belt. So, it isn't as if he's a complete unknown and has his hat in the ring here.

The battle for the starting right guard spot should give training camp a little extra juice for the 2025 Philadelphia Eagles. With that said, if we've learned anything from Jeff Stoutland University, the end result should be at best successful, and at worst fun to watch, regardless of who the winner may be.