As the Eagles head toward training camp, the guard picture behind Landon Dickerson and Tyler Steen is still the spot that begs the biggest question.
Dickerson and Steen are the starters, and both are set up to have strong seasons if the health around them holds. Dickerson has to stay on the field, and Cam Jurgens and Lane Johnson need to be healthy enough to bring out the best in Steen. But if one of those pieces gets knocked off track, who steps in as the No. 3 guard?
Philadelphia did add a veteran in Michael Jordan, and that helps, but it doesn’t fully settle the depth chart. Jordan has not practiced with the Eagles since signing after minicamp, and he mostly plays left guard, which makes him more of a safety net for Dickerson than a true answer everywhere. Still, his 49 career starts give the Eagles something real on that side.
The more unsettled battle is on the right side, where Steen’s backup remains wide open. Micah Morris is a sixth-round rookie who has never played a regular-season snap.
Drew Kendall is being cross-trained at right guard, but he has also never taken a regular-season snap there. Willie Lampin, Hollin Pierce, and Myles Hinton could all get looks as well.
That’s why a reunion with Mekhi Becton is at least worth kicking around, even if it’s unlikely. The fit is the issue, but the price tag could be tempting.
Becton is at the point where a one-year deal under $2 million is possible, with little guaranteed money attached. There’s no real sunk cost there.
If the Eagles want another veteran in the room, they could bring him in and let him compete with the younger linemen for the job.
There’s also a simple argument for doing it: test the young guys against someone with real NFL experience and see if they can beat him out.
But the reasons against it are just as clear. Becton may not fit what Sean Mannion is installing, and he may not be the right match for new offensive line coach Chris Kuper either.
He was a Jeff Stoutland project, and his best season came under Stoutland. That helped him cash in with the Los Angeles Chargers, even though last season went off the rails.
And last season was rough. Becton was released after one year with the Chargers, and Pro Football Focus ranked him 79th out of 81 qualified guards.
Their grading also had him as the worst run-blocking guard in football. He allowed four sacks and 33 pressures at right guard, with a 7.7% pressure rate allowed.
His 33 pressures ranked 72nd out of 81 qualified guards.
So while a reunion would be nice on paper, this is not the same Becton the Eagles helped revive two years ago. Outside of that one season in Philadelphia, he hasn’t come close to living up to the promise of being a former first-round pick. And as much as Chris Kuper deserves the benefit of the doubt, he’s not Jeff Stoutland.
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