As the Philadelphia Eagles prepare for the 2024 season by coming together for training camp the following month, it appears that Tyler Steen will win the right-guard position. Steen was selected by Alabama in the third round of the 2023 draft, and he saw 71 offensive snaps in his rookie season, including 62 in his lone start. However, Steen worked with the starting offense during Philadelphia’s offseason camp, and Eagles offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland noticed his progress.
His strength, power, agility, and ability to play with low hips have all clearly improved, according to Stoutland. “I believed he was a high roller last year. I can tell that he has spent a lot of time working out in the weight room with our folks here. While at Alabama, Steen played left tackle; but, on November 5, in a 28-23 victory over the Dallas Cowboys, he made his only rookie start at right guard. Following his 13-year tenure as Philadelphia’s center, Jason Kelce announced his retirement in 2024, leaving the right-guard position vacant. Cam Jurgens started 11 games at right guard in 2023, but he seems to be the favorite to take Kelce’s place.
In order to have a player who we truly recognized as being a top-tier center when Kelce does retire, we got Cam Jurgens here two years ago, according to Stoutland. Sua Opeta started five of the six games Jurgens missed last season due to injury. Due to injuries, Steen started at right guard against the Cowboys on November 5 instead of Jurgens or Opeta. Opeta joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this summer after leaving the Eagles in free agency. As the right guard for the Eagles, Brandon Brooks was named to the Pro Bowl in each of the last three complete seasons of his NFL career. However, Brooks retired following an injury that kept him out of action in 2020 and 2021.
Brooks is the best candidate for the job, according to Stoutland, who also mentioned that Steen shares some of Brooks’ traits. According to Stoutland, that is the person you are looking for: Brandon Brooks. “They’re not that prevalent. You want someone with that kind of size, arm length, explosive power, low body flex, and all of these qualities. These things are all essentially one. It’s like, “Whoa, how are these guys found?” Because of this, you’re constantly comparing people to him in my thoughts.
Tyler actually possesses a lot of stuff, though he only has a small amount of it. With Landon Dickerson, a former All-American for Alabama, at left guard, Jordan Mailata at be left tackle, and Lane Johnson at right tackle, Philadelphia’s starting offensive line is complete.
The Eagles also have Mekhi Becton, Matt Hennessy, and Max Scharping as right guard prospects. Becton, who was selected with the eleventh pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, began 16 games at tackle for the New York Jets in 2023. Hennessy was the starting center for the Atlanta Falcons in 2021 but missed the 2023 campaign. Scharping, a former starter for the Houston Texans at left and right guard, has been a backup with the Cincinnati Bengals for the last two seasons.
The Philadelphia Eagles take on the Baltimore Ravens in their first preseason game on August 9. The regular season begins in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on September 6 against the Green Bay Packers.