The Eagles have spent a quarter-century treating center like a position they can trust, and Cam Jurgens is the latest reason why. Philadelphia went from Hank Fraley to Jamaal Jackson to Jason Kelce, and now Jurgens has stepped into that lineage with two Pro Bowls in two seasons as a starter.
But the story at center isn’t just about the starter. It’s about how secure the whole room looks behind him.
Jurgens enters camp in a much better place than he was a year ago. A back injury that began in the 2024 playoffs carried into last season and made life miserable.
He was dealing with pain severe enough that walking was difficult, yet he still kept his performance intact. He didn’t allow a sack in 2025 and gave up only eight pressures, a 1.8% pressure rate allowed per dropback.
That was a clear step forward from 2024, when he allowed four sacks and posted a 3.9% pressure rate allowed per dropback. The fact that he managed that while battling the back issue says plenty about how much he was grinding through.
The good news for Philadelphia is that the stem cell treatment Jurgens received in Columbia appears to have done the trick. He says he feels 100% heading into camp, and that’s the kind of update the Eagles needed most at this spot.
Behind him, the depth chart has some real shape to it. Kendall looks like the next man up at center after getting the Week 18 start last year when Jurgens needed the rest. In that game, Kendall handled 62 snaps and allowed one pressure, which worked out to a 2.2% pressure rate allowed per dropback.
That performance matters because if Jurgens misses time again, Kendall would be the No. 2 center. The Eagles also want him pushing for the No. 3 guard job behind Landon Dickerson and Tyler Steen, which gives him a chance to carve out a bigger role on the interior in 2026. There’s a real opening there for him.
Philadelphia doesn’t need a long list of centers, but having a third option matters. Willie Lampkin looks like the natural candidate for that job after the Eagles claimed him off waivers last year. He had played center for the Los Angeles Rams before being waived in August.
Lampkin’s background gives him some versatility. At North Carolina, he lined up at center and guard. At Coastal Carolina, he played center and won Sun Belt Offensive Lineman of the Year.
He also has a path here because he can handle center and has the experience to step in if Kendall gets hurt. Lampkin missed time on injured reserve last season after a knee injury in the preseason, but he’s expected to be ready for training camp, and he practiced this spring.
Jake Majors is also in the mix at center for depth, but Lampkin’s ability to play both center and guard is what could help him stick on the 53-man roster. If he can hold up at guard despite being undersized, the Eagles could head toward 2026 with two backup centers in place.
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