The Eagles suddenly have a major hole to patch at left guard, and the name at the center of it is Landon Dickerson.
Philadelphia is putting Dickerson on injured reserve after a rough Week 1 showing against the Washington Commanders and a knee injury, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane, a move that caught plenty of attention because of who Dickerson is and what he’s meant to the lineup. He was a three-time Pro Bowler from 2022 through 2024, but he also fought through injuries last season and nearly retired in the offseason before deciding to keep going and brushing off the retirement talk at training camp.
Now the Eagles have to sort out who steps into his spot.
The two names in the mix are Drew Kendall and Willie Lampkin, and both made strong cases during the preseason. That said, there’s a catch: most of those snaps came against backup competition, so the real test is still ahead.
Lampkin made a real impression in camp as an undersized lineman who held up against bigger defenders. He’s under 6-foot, and he still managed to put together a clean preseason without allowing a sack.
Kendall has also been building toward this moment. The Eagles have been developing him for some time, and 2026 looked like the year he was ready to break through. He, too, got through the preseason without giving up a sack, which only makes the decision more complicated.
Because Kendall has been with the team longer, there’s a decent chance he gets the first shot at the job. But Lampkin has clearly won over the fan base, and the push for him to start is going to be loud.
All of this puts offensive line coach Chris Kuper squarely in the spotlight over the next few weeks. He earned praise for what the group did in training camp and the preseason, but he also took heat for the pass protection in Week 1. Now he gets the chance to clean that up and find a solution after the Commanders game.
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Eagles Suddenly Have A Big Chance To Solve A Costly Problem
Landon Dickersons injury has opened a familiar kind of door for the Eagles, the kind that can matter just as much to the cap sheet as it does to the lineup. With one of their most important interior linemen expected to miss at least four games, Philadelphia suddenly has a live test for Drew Kendall, the 2025 fifth-round pick who has been cross-training at guard and now gets a real chance to show he can handle it in game action.
For a team that has poured major money into its defense, finding dependable offensive line production from younger, cheaper players is more than a convenience, it is a necessity. If Kendall holds up, the Eagles could be looking at a long-term answer in a spot where proven depth is usually expensive, and this stretch now becomes a significant evaluation period for a player the organization already views as someone who could start down the line. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Suddenly Have A Cooper DeJean Concern After Rough Debut
Cooper DeJeans first NFL game already came with plenty to unpack, and now it has created a health question for the Eagles as well. The rookie defensive back missed Wednesdays practice because of an undisclosed injury he picked up in Week 1 against the Washington Commanders, and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio confirmed DeJean was dinged during the game.
For Philadelphia, the timing is less than ideal. DeJean had a rough debut, giving up several big plays and drawing penalties, and his availability for Week 2 against the Tennessee Titans is now uncertain. The Eagles were already sorting through the ups and downs of a young player getting thrown into the fire, and now they have to monitor whether he can get back on the field in time to help clean it up. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Already Have A Backfield Question Behind Saquon Barkley
Saquon Barkley remains the clear engine of the Eagles backfield, and he looked the part against Washington. But the more intriguing storyline tucked behind his workload is the uncertainty over who, exactly, is next in line if Philadelphia needs help at running back. Tank Bigsby entered the game listed as the primary backup, yet his role never quite matched that billing, leaving the depth chart looking a little more fluid than the team likely expected.
Kenneth Shipley wound up drawing more attention than Bigsby, even though he was initially viewed as a candidate to get cut. His heavier usage and visible impact suggest the Eagles may have more to sort through at the position than just Barkleys workload management. For a team that wants stability behind its featured back, the early answer is not nearly as settled as the depth chart made it seem. [Read more 🡒]