Lane Johnson knows Eagles' best job battle, how much longer he'll play

PHILADELPHIA − The most intriguing battle for the Eagles this summer will be at right guard where there is no established starter.

It’s the only position where the Eagles don’t have either a returning starter or a young player groomed to take over. Instead, the Eagles are holding a competition among two players who have never played right guard in either college or the NFL.

Either Cam Jurgens or Tyler Steen will get the chance to replace veteran Isaac Seumalo, who signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers as a free agent.

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It does help that the winner of the competition gets the luxury of playing in between two perennial Pro Bowl players in center Jason Kelce and right tackle Lane Johnson.

Jurgens and Steen got a taste of that during the two weeks of organized team activities that are wrapping up Thursday before the team’s break until training camp in late July.

But Jurgens and Steen were drafted to play different positions. Jurgens was the Eagles’ second-round pick in 2022, drafted as a center to eventually replace Kelce, who’s 35 years old and has contemplated retirement in each of the past five offseasons.

Kelce, a perennial Pro Bowl player, decided in March to return for his 13th season. Jurgens said Kelce informed him by saying, “Yeah, I’m sorry. I’m coming back for another year.”

To which Jurgens, who’s 6-foot-3, 303 pounds, replied: “You owe me nothing. … Jason is such a great guy. He’s done so much for me and I’m pumped he’s back.”

Steen, who’s 6-6, 321 pounds, was drafted in the third round last month after playing left tackle his senior year at Alabama. He played both right and left tackle at Vanderbilt. He could eventually challenge to succeed Johnson, who’s entering his 11th season and widely considered the top right tackle in the NFL.

But that won’t happen anytime soon. Johnson, who’s 33 years old, is coming off surgery to repair a torn adductor that he played through over the final months of the season. Incredibly, Johnson hasn’t allowed a sack in more than two years.

Johnson, who said he’s fully cleared to practice, recently signed a contract extension through 2026, and he admitted Tuesday that it’ll probably be his last one. Johnson said he got a raise while spacing out his salary cap hit over an additional two years.

“Thirty-three is old, but I still feel like I got a few good years left,” Johnson said. “I’m super fortunate to be where I’m at. And being in the second half of my career, my goal now is to develop the younger guys and bring those guys along. And be a better leader.”

So until the day comes when Kelce and Johnson step aside, the fastest way for Jurgens or Steen to get on the field is at right guard.

Jurgens spent some time practicing there last season, but he didn’t play there in any games. Jurgens has been with the first team at the position at the only spring practice opened to the media so far.

Still, it’s a big adjustment for Johnson, too. After all, Johnson spent several years playing next to Brandon Brooks, a perennial Pro Bowl right guard. That started to change when Brooks missed most of the 2021 season due to injury and then retired. The Eagles used three other right guards next to Johnson that season.

Seumalo moved from left guard to right guard last season, both to replace Brooks and because Landon Dickerson, also drafted as Kelce’s replacement at center in 2021, took over for an injured Seumalo at left guard that season.

“Everybody has their certain traits,” Johnson said. “Brooks is so big and strong, and so efficient. No wasted steps. Isaac is a big guy, too. Just his quickness and his knowledge of the game were unbelievable. Having him and Kelce together was being able to diagnose defenses and make the correct calls in certain situations. We’re not asking Cam to be Brooks or be Isaac. Be your own guy.

“We still have a ways to go, but I’m excited where we’re at.”

Dickerson was selected to the Pro Bowl last season and is considered a mainstay at left guard, and thus no longer a replacement for Kelce.

Still, Dickerson knows what it’s like to switch positions at the NFL level. He played every position along the offensive line at Florida State and then Alabama.

“You gotta make adjustments,” Dickerson said. “And right now is the opportune time to figure out how to change how I’m stepping, where I’m aiming, where I’m looking because those five positions (on the offensive line) are different.

“Cam and Tyler, they’re doing a phenomenal job right now. It’s difficult. Me and a lot of the older guys try to help out as much as we can. We see something that we can fix or change to help them, that’s what it’s about.”

Jurgens and Steen have each changed positions before in college. Steen began his career at Vanderbilt as a defensive lineman while Jurgens was a tight end when he arrived at Nebraska before moving to center his first year. Now, they’re making one more switch, with a starting job in the NFL at stake.

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Lane Johnson knows Eagles’ best job battle, how much longer he’ll play

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