The Eagles got another training-camp scare Wednesday when starting center Cam Jurgens was checked out in the medical tent and then sent to the locker room to finish his day.
For a team that has already seen Cooper DeJean draw concern earlier in camp, while DeVonta Smith and Makai Lemon also missed practice time with hamstring issues, the sight of Jurgens heading off the field naturally raised alarms. But there was at least one encouraging detail: The Athletic’s Zach Berman reported that Jurgens “didn’t appear to be hindered” and walked off the practice field on his own. Jake Majors stepped in as the replacement at center.
That matters, because Jurgens is a central piece of Philadelphia’s offensive line and the latest name fans want to avoid adding to the injury list. Last season, he dealt with a back issue that had bothered him since 2024 and clearly affected his play. He had offseason stem cell treatment to aid his recovery and has said he’s better than he ever has.
The numbers from 2025 tell the story of a solid but not fully clean season. Jurgens allowed 11 pressures and one quarterback hit in 484 pass-blocking snaps.
Pro Football Focus gave him a 63.4 overall grade, which ranked 21st out of 40 centers in the NFL. His pass-blocking grade was 60.9, and his run-blocking grade came in at 65.6.
Jurgens took over for Eagles legend Jason Kelce in 2023 and has made the Pro Bowl in each of the last two seasons, so his status is obviously worth monitoring. Philadelphia’s offensive line enters 2026 training camp in better health overall, with Lane Johnson and Landon Dickerson also healthy after a long 2025 season.
Still, this is a big year for several veterans up front, and Jurgens is part of that group. The line was hit hard by injury issues last year and didn’t live up to the standard it had set for so long. Even with another Pro Bowl nod, Jurgens needs a stronger season.
For now, the biggest hope is simple: this doesn’t turn into another 2025 situation. The Eagles are likely to be cautious with Jurgens the rest of camp.
In Other News...
Nolan Smith Faces Real Pressure In Eagles Camp Battle
Training camp has given the Eagles a clearer look at the edge rusher rotation, and Nolan Smith Jr. has found himself in a more uncomfortable spot than expected. The former first-round pick has been solid enough, but Jalyx Hunt has been the more eye-catching player so far, flashing the kind of improvement and consistent pressure that can shift a depth chart fast when the pads come on.
Philadelphia still has reason to believe in Smith, which is why the team picked up his fifth-year option. Even so, camp battles have a way of turning into bigger questions, and Smiths path to holding onto a starting role may come down to whether he can start matching the urgency and production Hunt has brought to the field. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Backup Quarterback Battle Just Got Much More Interesting
The Eagles seventh training camp practice of the summer offered another reminder that the quarterback room is worth watching behind Jalen Hurts. The session lasted just under 90 minutes, with DeVonta Smith and Cole Wisniewski among the players sidelined by injuries and others working in limited fashion. Hurts had a lighter load and finished 9 of 11, but the more notable development came from Tanner McKee, who continued to look more comfortable as camp rolled on.
For a team that values stability behind its starter, the backup competition is one of the cleaner little battles on the roster, and one that can change quickly from day to day. McKees improvement during this practice added a little more intrigue to the mix, especially with the preseason still ahead and the Eagles still sorting out where that depth chart should settle. [Read more 🡒]