The Philadelphia Eagles have settled on Landon Dickerson and Tyler Steen as their starting guards, but the job behind them is still open as training camp approaches. Michael Jordan is the veteran option on hand, yet he has not practiced with the team since signing after minicamp.
That matters because guard is one of the few places where a single injury can force a quick reshuffle inside the offense. Dickerson is expected to have a good season if he stays healthy, and Steen’s hold on his spot is tied in part to whether Cam Jurgens and Lane Johnson stay on the field around him.
Jordan gives the Eagles a familiar answer on paper. He has started 49 games in his career and predominantly plays left guard, which makes him a natural insurance policy for Dickerson if the team wants one. The broader question, though, is whether the Eagles stop there or bring in another veteran before camp ends.
What happens next is less about the starters than the first name off the bench. The battle for Tyler Steen’s backup is the one that will tell the story, because Micah Morris is a sixth-round rookie without a regular-season snap, Drew Kendall has never played a regular-season snap at right guard, and Willie Lampin, Hollin Pierce and Myles Hinton may also get chances there. That leaves the Eagles with a depth chart that is defined more by possibility than certainty.
For now, the biggest unknown on the Eagles roster sits right behind Dickerson and Steen. If Jordan is the answer, the team can live with a veteran safety net. If he is only the first option, then the real work at guard is still ahead.
