The Eagles have taken a surprise route with their offensive line shuffle for Week 2, and Drew Kendall is set to start against the Tennessee Titans - just not at left guard.
With Landon Dickerson landing on IR this past week because of the knee injury he played through in the 24-22 win over the Washington Commanders in Week 1, Philadelphia had a hole to fill on the interior. Drew Kendall, Willie Lampkin and Fred Johnson all looked like possible answers, but the Eagles went in a different direction.
According to NFL Network reporter Cameron Wolfe, Cam Jurgens will move to left guard, while Kendall takes over at center. It’s a setup that had been discussed during the week, and now the Eagles are actually rolling with it.
Eagles are throwing Drew Kendall at center against the Tennessee Titans in Week 2
The move gives Philadelphia a chance to lean on Jurgens’ experience at guard, while Kendall steps into the backup-center role he has handled before. It’s an early-season gamble that could pay off nicely or turn into a rough lesson for a young line trying to hold together without Dickerson.
For head coach Nick Sirianni, this is one of those decisions that can shape the feel of the season early. The Eagles will also like that Jurgens can spend more time dealing with Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons than Kendall would. Expect plenty of double teams on Simmons, too, so he doesn’t wreck the plan.
There’s also a chance the lineup tweak affects how offensive coordinator Sean Mannion calls the game. Quicker passes and more zone runs could be part of the mix, especially with Kendall about to make his second career NFL start. The goal would be simple: keep the pressure off him and make life easier in the middle.
Mannion could also lean more on under center snaps to help smooth out the exchange between Kendall and Jalen Hurts.
Plenty of Eagles fans figured Kendall would be in the lineup. The twist is where he’ll line up, and the center spot may end up being the safest, smartest choice for the second-year player.
Now it’s just a matter of seeing whether it works against the Titans. The Eagles are hoping this arrangement can hold for the next four games, at least until Dickerson potentially returns.
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