Dunlap prepping for first start at guard

Whats the biggest challenge of playing guard?

Staying low, says King Dunlap.

Who stands 6-foot-9.

It kind of figures in such a backwards Eagles season that a big storyline this week is a guy who looks like an NBA power forward talking about staying low.

Normally youve got shorter, wider guys, a lot more power guys inside, so (its important to) make sure I keep myself down lower in my stance and when I move my feet, Dunlap said. Ive got to bend a little bit more. Thats all it is. Nothing new.

With Evan Mathis out of practice with turf toe, Dunlap took all the practice reps Wednesday at left guard, a position hes never played. At any level.

If Mathis cant play Sunday, and it doesnt look like he will, Dunlap will make his seventh NFL start and first at guard when the Eagles face the Cards at the Linc.

I dont know how severe Evans injury is, but as of right now, I am (starting), Dunlap said. Im guarding it up this week.

Dunlap, a seventh-round pick in 2008, started five games at tackle in 2010, two at left, three at right. He started at left tackle against the Bills this year.

He doesnt look like a guard. But he is one now.

The more you can do, the better, Dunlap said. The more reason to keep you around. This will be a good chance for me to see how guard is after playing tackle my whole career.

Itll be fun, a new challenge. Nothing like trying something youve ever done.

If Dunlap starts, hell share honors as the tallest guard in NFL history with Jonathan Ogden, who played left guard for the Ravens as a rookie in 1996 before moving to left tackle, where he became an 11-time Pro Bowl pick, and Ben Jefferson, who played the first four games of the 1990 season at left guard for the Browns before being replaced by Bensalem native Ralph Tamm.

The Eagles released guard Kyle DeVan last week after DeVan started the first four games of the season at right guard. Rookie Julian Vandervelde is listed on the official depth chart as Mathiss backup, and veteran center Jamaal Jackson can also play guard, but Howard Mudd and Andy Reid decided on Dunlap in a surprise move.

Why Dunlap?

Im not the coach, I just do what Im told, he said. If they want me to play guard, Im going to be the best guard I can be.

If Dunlap starts, this will be the fourth different starting offensive line the Eagles will use in the span of six games and the sixth since training camp ended.

When Herremans took over at right tackle just before the season began, Mathis replaced him at left guard.

Itll be a new experience for me, my first time playing guard in a game, Dunlap said. Im going to make the most of it. I did it a little bit toward the end of last year in practice on scout team, but you know scout team and taking reps with the starters and first team is a little bit different. But Ive done it a little bit in practice but not like Im getting ready to do now and in the game.

The Eagles, 3-5, face the 2-6 Cards Sunday, and Dunlap will work most of the time against a guy whos almost his size -- hulking Arizona defensive tackle Calais Campbell, who like Dunlap came out in the 2008 draft. Campbell, who played at Miami, is listed at 6-8.

Itll be fun for me, Dunlap said. That way instead of going inside and having a shorter, wider guy, itll be a taller, bigger guy like Campbell, so it might make it a little bit easier.

Hes about 6-7, 6-8, so well be looking eye-to-eye the whole game. So itll be real big up the middle this week. Watch him on film, hes really good, good pass rusher. Itll be like Im playing against a defensive end at guard.

Curious that Todd Herremans has been a guard all his life and is now playing tackle, and Dunlap has been a tackle all his life and is now playing guard.

King is a football player, just like I am, and hell do fine and will be able to make the switch back and forth, Herremans said. Hes going to be able to put his long arms to use this week, especially because Calais Campbell is pretty tall as well. I think itll be a good matchup.

Dunlap stands a full nine inches taller than Michael Vick, and he asked Vick at practice on Wednesday whether his height will be a problem while hes blocking for Vick.

No worries, Vick said.

I asked him during walkthrough if Im going to be too tall, and he said I should be good, hell find the lanes, Dunlap said.

Dunlap weighs 330 pounds, but the offensive coaches believe hes also athletic enough to play the sort of style that Mudd demands -- lots of pulling and movement and running out in front of the play.

I can do it just as good as he can, Dunlap said with a laugh when asked about Mathis. Were not changing the game plan, not changing any of the plays or anything. Just doing what I got to do.

I just try to come in and fill in like I did before at tackle. Keep the offense moving and put up points on the board. Go out there and compete.

E-mail Reuben Frank at rfrank@comcastsportsnet.com.