Landon Dickerson injury: Exploring Eagles' options along offensive line if Pro Bowl LG isn't ready for Week 1

Landon Dickerson is irreplaceable along the Eagles offensive line, as he's one of five NFL guards to make the Pro Bowl in each of the past three seasons (Joe Thuney, Chris Lindstrom, Quenton Nelson and Joel Bitonio are the others). 

The Eagles may have to manage through the start of the season without Dickerson, as the Pro Bowl left guard is week-to-week with a meniscus injury in his right knee, per multiple reports. How long Dickerson will be out remains unknown with the week-to-week designation, but the Eagles avoided a major injury scare that would have affected the entire offensive line for the rest of the season.

Injuries in college caused Dickerson to fall in the draft, but he's been relatively healthy in the NFL. Dickerson has played in 57 games over the past three seasons (all starts), tied for the second-most in the NFL during that time (regular and postseason). He also has played 3,759 snaps combined between the regular season and postseason during that stretch, tied for sixth-most amongst all NFL players.

The Eagles will have to be creative in replacing Dickerson for however long he's out. Fortunately, they have one of the deepest offensive lines in the NFL and should be able to weather the storm without him.

While the Eagles won't get All-Pro level play at left guard, there are a few options for them to consider. There's even a chance Philadelphia won't have to use them, as Dickerson could reportedly be back by the season opener against the Dallas Cowboys on Sept. 4.

Tyler Steen to LG, Matt Pryor to RG

This is the most likely of all the scenarios presented, as Steen has experience at left guard after filling in for Dickerson over each of the past two seasons. Steen even played left guard during the NFC Championship Game as Dickerson moved to center while Cam Jurgens was dealing with a significant back injury (that he eventually had offseason surgery for). 

Steen has been getting all of the first-team reps at right guard this training camp, but that may soon change with the Dickerson injury. Pryor has worked as the second-team right guard in practice. The Eagles can easily move Steen over to left guard and go with Pryor at right guard, even though Pryor hasn't logged a snap at guard since 2021. 

Kenyon Green to LG, Tyler Steen stays at RG

Steen has been the right guard all of training camp, logging every snap with the first team. The Eagles have repeatedly said Steen has played well throughout the duration of camp, and he continued his strong play when he had the key block on Will Shipley's 38-yard run in the preseason opener. 

Green has been the left guard with the second team in camp, not in competition with Steen for the right guard spot as was initially believed this offseason. The Eagles moved Green over to be Dickerson's backup this summer, and he's been redeveloping his game under offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland after struggling with the Texans over the past few seasons. 

The Eagles could just bump Green up and give him a look there, but left guard is significantly different than right guard. Green may need more time and more game snaps before the Eagles consider keeping Steen at right guard. 

Green also suffered a shoulder injury in the preseason opener, so the extent of how long he's out is unknown. He did not practice Saturday nor Sunday and may need additional time to recover.

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Tyler Steen to LG, Darian Kinnard to RG

Another option for the Eagles is Kinnard at right guard, as the former Chiefs draft pick cross-trained at guard last season while on the 53-man roster. Kinnard logged 71 snaps for the Eagles last season, but all were at tackle. Listed as the second-team right tackle, Kinnard has played guard for the Eagles at practice and can slide there if needed. 

The Eagles like Kinnard and his development. Perhaps Kinnard would compete with Pryor for the vacant right guard spot if they move Steen over to left guard. 

Cam Jurgens to RG, Tyler Steen to LG, Drew Kendall to C

This is the radical move that is highly unlikely. Jurgens has played right guard in the past, starting all 11 games he played there in 2023 next to Jason Kelce, but Jurgens was one of the best centers in football last season. 

Even with Jurgens' experience at right guard, it's hard to see the Eagles moving him over there and going with a sixth-round rookie at center. The Eagles did do this with Kelce in 2011, but that was under a different position coach in Howard Mudd. 

Kendall has had a good camp, but the Eagles have the depth on the offensive line that allows him to develop and learn how to play center. There is little reason to move a Pro Bowl center over to right guard and hand the starting center job to a rookie at this juncture. 

There are too many moving parts for the Eagles here. This is more of a last-resort option.