The 700 Level’s annual Philadelphia Eagles training camp preview returns. We’re taking an in-depth look at Birds position by position and asking whether the club got better or worse. Check out the introduction for more details on the series.
BETTER
Right Tackle / Lane Johnson
Lane Johnson may very well be the most underrated player on the Eagles. For my money, it’s not a question of if he’ll ever make it to the Pro Bowl, but when.
Since he was taken fourth overall in the 2013 draft, Johnson has solidified the right tackle position. Some would even go so far to say he’s been a dominant force in the running game. For example, LeSean McCoy averaged 2.8 yards per carry in September last season while Johnson was serving a four-game suspension. Upon Johnson’s return, McCoy averaged 4.7 yards for the month of October—and that was while Pro Bowl linemen Evan Mathis and Jason Kelce were still out with injuries. He truly is a difference maker in that phase of the game.
Johnson improved significantly in pass protection as well. As a rookie, Pro Football Focus credited him with 10 sacks and 39 hurries allowed. Last season, albeit in four fewer games, those numbers fell dramatically to the tune of one sack and 23 hurries. Overall, PFF’s charting gave Johnson the 13th highest cumulative score among all offensive tackles in 2014.
NFL
The fact that Johnson is still improving should come as no surprise. He only made the move to the offensive line his junior year of college. At 25 and entering just his third NFL season, he should be an ascending talent. It may be too soon to predict a Pro Bowl for Johnson, but if continues along his current path, such accolades are inevitable.
WORSE
Left Guard / Allen Barbre
Whether Chip Kelly was right or wrong for releasing Evan Mathis, there is no way to look at this situation and conclude the Eagles got anything but worse in the process. Barbre may very well turn out to be a capable replacement, but to suggest a journeyman might play up to the level of a two-time Pro Bowler is where you start to lose me.
First of all, with regards to Barbre, there’s very little evidence he’s competent at all. This is a player with as many career starts (8) as years he’s been hanging around the league, and most of those obviously didn’t go too well, or the Eagles wouldn’t be his fifth stop. We haven’t seen much of Barbre in meaningful action since his arrival, either. He filled in nicely for a game at left tackle in 2013, but feared Green Bay Packers pass-rusher Clay Matthews’ hand was in a cast. That’s about it.
True, Mathis was a nobody and a journeyman when he came to Philly, too, but he didn’t have a reputation for being truly awful when he got here. Nor was he tasked with replacing an All-Pro. And if you think Mathis’ story of longtime bench warmer to star is typical, it’s not. None of which is to say Barbre couldn’t possibly perform every bit as well or better than Mathis, there’s simply no real reason to believe that will be the case.
While we're discussing things that got worse, let's quickly mention continuity, or lack thereof. Because it's the two guards being replaced, three returning starters are all playing alongside somebody new this season. That in itself could create some issues.
THE SAME
Center / Jason Kelce
Kelce was named to his first of what is likely to be numerous Pro Bowls last season. There are few if any centers in the league that share his ability to block downfield, and he’s strong and consistent in the trenches as well. Also, it’s somewhat underrated, but for somebody lining up in the shotgun formation practically all the time, you seldom see a bad snap.
The only real knock on Kelce, if there even is one, is he has battled injuries. The fifth-year veteran wound up on injured reserve with a torn MCL in 2012, and missed four games this past season due to a sports hernia. It’s probably unfair to label him as injury prone, but the next time he’s out for an extended period of time could get people talking.
Kelce is 27, so right in his prime, if not still a bit on the upswing. He also signed a long-term contract extension last season, so he’s comfortably entrenched in Philadelphia. That’s a huge plus, because Kelce has established himself one of the best centers in the NFL.
THE UNKNOWN
Quite a bit, actually
We could state the obvious, that we’re heading into August and don’t know who will start at right guard, or if that person will be an upgrade over Todd Herremans. Herremans’ release was probably justified in that his play was bordering on replacement level, he turns 33 this year and has had issues staying healthy. Then again, neither Matt Tobin nor Andrew Gardner looked worlds better, and this John Moffitt the Eagles recently added is coming out of retirement.
We could look at the Eagles’ depth overall, which was shaky last season in the first place. Now they’re promoting not one, but likely two backups to starting jobs, which beyond the message that sends about the state of the offensive line, really thins out the reserves. Keep in mind, Philadelphia has not drafted an offensive lineman since taking Johnson fourth overall in 2013, so it’s not like there are a bunch of young, pedigreed players waiting in the wings.
We could even point to future Hall of Fame left tackle Jason Peters and wonder a bit. Last season was not the seven-time Pro Bowler’s best, and seeing as he’s 33 now, I’m not sure we can chalk it up as an anomaly. To be fair, Peters was still elite compared to the rest of the league, but you have to wonder if decline is setting in and if 2014 marked the beginning of a trend downward.
That’s a lot to chew on.
BETTER OR WORSE?
Mathis to Barbre looks like a major step back. The situation at right guard remains unresolved. Peters is 33 and didn’t look his sharpest last season. It’s difficult to look at the depth and say that’s improved. Despite so many questions, Philadelphia’s offensive line isn’t necessarily going to be bad or even below average this year. However, a step back isn’t out of the question, and the unit is an injury or two away from potentially becoming a disaster. Things definitely don’t look better from this vantage point.
Worse
Previously: Running Back, Wide Receiver, Tight End, Defensive Line, Outside Linebacker, Interior Linebacker, Cornerback, Safety, Special Teams