Following the Philadelphia Eagles’ pre-draft trade up for North Dakota state quarterback Carson Wentz, the organization made Oregon State guard Isaac Seumalo their next pick, taking him midway through the third round.
Seumalo is the first offensive lineman the Eagles have drafted since Lane Johnson went fourth overall in 2013, and he joins a line that needs an upgrade at guard. Seumalo actually has the versatility to play everywhere on the offensive line, although he’s best suited inside at either guard or center. Here’s a look at what the Eagles’ offensive line may look like in 2016, starting with the positions that are easiest to identify:
2016 Offensive Line
Left Tackle: Barring a surprise release, Jason Peters will return for his eighth season with the Eagles. The 34-year-old is entering the twilight stage of his career, but he’s still an elite offensive tackle and coming off his eighth career Pro Bowl selection. Peters dealt with more than his share of injury problems in 2015, missing two games, but he managed to start 14 of a possible 16 contests and rate per Pro Football Focus as the game’s 13th best offensive tackle out of 76 qualifiers. Peters’ in-house replacement will be Lane Johnson, but Peters will spend at least one more season at left tackle.
Right Tackle: Lane Johnson was Chip Kelly’s first-ever draft pick, and he’s a rare athlete for the position who will be around for the long haul after signing a mammoth extension in the offseason. The deal, which includes $63 million ($35.5 million guaranteed) over six years, makes Johnson the highest-paid right tackle in NFL history. Johnson still needs to refine his skills as a pass-blocker, and he was exposed as a left tackle last year when he had to fill in for Peters for two games. His 12 penalties were second-most among all offensive tackles, which is another necessary area of improvement. But Johnson’s quickness makes him an asset in the running game, and the Eagles clearly think he can be their long-term left tackle.
Center: 2011 sixth-round center Jason Kelce returns for his sixth season as a starter. Kelce made the Pro Bowl after the 2014 campaign, then regressed last year. He made a series of bad snaps and committed too many penalties, but he’s also a top-notch run blocker, rating by PFF as the fourth-best run-blocking center a year ago.
Right Guard: Right guard is set in stone, with $40 million acquisition Brandon Brooks set to take over as the starter. Brooks was a third-round draft pick of the Houston Texans in 2012, ironically enough being drafted with the pick the Texans got when the Eagles traded for DeMeco Ryans. Brooks started 44 games in four seasons with Houston. He’s an above-average player who excels more in pass protection than run blocking. Brooks will shore up a spot that was rotated between Andrew Gardner and Matt Tobin a year ago.
Left Guard: This is the only offensive line spot on the Eagles that is conceivably up for grabs. Former All-Pro Evan Mathis was unceremoniously released by Chip Kelly last offseason, and Allen Barbre ended up starting all 16 games. He’s best suited as a backup, and the Eagles acknowledged that by signing center/guard Stefen Wisnewski in free agency. Wisniewski, the nephew of eight-time Pro Bowl guard Steve Wisniewski, has started 77 NFL games and can play both guard and center. He’s an underrated signing and a good move considering Kelce’s recent injury history.
Backups: it’s likely that the following players are competing for three to four spots on the offensive line: Andrew Gardner, Dennis Kelly, Matt Tobin, Isaac Seumalo, and Halapoulivaati Vaitai. Gardner is a seventh-year pro who has spent the last two seasons on the Eagles. He can play tackle and guard, and he’s started 11 games in Philly. He should have the edge on one of the backup spots. Kelly is a 2012 fifth-round draft pick who has started 15 games in four years. He recently signed a one-year contract extension, which suggests the Eagles view him as worthy of a 2016 roster spot.
Tobin has spent three years on the Eagles, starting 20 games. He was exposed in 2015, rating per PFF as the seventh-worst overall guard and the worst pass-blocker in the NFL, allowing eight sacks and 31 hurries in just over 1,000 snaps. Tobin will probably make the roster due to his starting experience, but he’s stretched when he has to play.
By virtue of being a third-round draft pick, Seumalo should have the edge on a 2016 roster spot. He’s a Pac-12 guy who can play any of the three interior line positions. Seumalo needs to bulk up (just 19 reps on the bench press) to be successful in the NFL. He missed the entire ’14 season due to a foot injury he suffered during the 2013 bowl game, but showed no lingering effects in ’15. Seumalo will have every opportunity in camp to unseat incumbent starting left guard Allen Barbre, and don’t be surprised if it happens, or at least in some point during the ’16 campaign.
Halapoulivaati Vaitai, besides having one of the most unusual names in pro sports, will be competing for one of the final roster spots. He’s a fifth-round pick, which means he’s probably going to make it the team. That means either Gardner or Tobin may be a veteran release – probably Tobin because he was really exposed when he did play a year ago. That leaves the backups as Gardner, Kelly, Seumalo, and Vaitai.
