Tyler Steen’s rise has turned into one of the quieter success stories of Eagles training camp, and it’s starting to look like the kind of development that can change both a roster and a contract.
The right guard, now in his fourth camp with Philadelphia, has moved well beyond the rough edges that defined the early part of his career. After spending his first two seasons as a backup and then losing the right guard competition to Mekhi Becton in 2024, Steen fought his way into the lineup last season and made the most of it. He started all 17 games and established himself as one of the team’s steadiest linemen.
That progress has carried into this summer. New offensive line coach Chris Kuper has been especially encouraged by what he’s seen.
“I see a guy who’s been really, really consistent at his job this camp,” Kuper said about Steen on Thursday. “He’s probably been one of the most consistent guys on offense.
He’s been there every day. He’s got a lot of power.
He’s an athletic kid, and you just kind of see the game coming together for him a little bit. Takes time as a young player regardless.
What is this? Year four for Tyler.
It takes time to find your legs, to find your confidence.”
That kind of praise fits the way Steen’s stock has climbed. Multiple Eagles players have already projected that he could be headed for the best season of his career in 2026, and the timing matters. He’s entering his prime and will turn 27 next summer, which puts him on track to be a sought-after free agent if Philadelphia doesn’t get a deal done first.
The Eagles also have reasons to think carefully about the future of the line around him. Landon Dickerson has shown signs of regression during training camp, and Lane Johnson is expected to retire after the season. If the goal is keeping the group stable up front, Steen looks like the sort of player the team would want to keep in place.
And the price tag won’t be small. The current market for young starting guards with talent is sitting somewhere between $13.25 million and $25 million per year, which means Steen’s next contract could land in serious money territory.
That would have sounded far-fetched not long ago. Two years ago, he wasn’t seen as an extension candidate at all.
Now, after the jump he made last season and the way he’s carried that form into camp, he’s no longer just a survivor of the competition. He’s one of the players the Eagles appear to be building around.
“Night and day,” Johnson said in July about Steen’s development. “I mean, I thought he made a huge jump last year becoming a dominating player.”
In Other News...
Eagles Quietly Fixed A Week 1 Problem Fans Remember Too Well
After a season in which tight end blocking was too often a lingering issue, the Eagles have made a quiet but pointed addition in Johnny Mundt, a veteran known more for the work he does without the ball than with it. Philadelphia brought him in to help stabilize the edge of the formation, where tight ends can have just as much responsibility in protection and the run game as they do as pass targets, especially on the right side of the line.
Mundt joins a tight end room that still has Dallas Goedert as the biggest receiving threat, along with E.J. Jenkins and rookie Eli Stowers, giving the Eagles a blend of roles as they get ready for Washington in Week 1. The move does not change the identity of the group, but it does suggest the staff is serious about cleaning up a part of the offense fans noticed last year, even if the bigger questions around usage and matchups are still waiting to be answered. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Suddenly Have A Camp Battle Fans Should Feel Better About
The Eagles have spent camp shoring up the interior of their offensive line, and the early returns are enough to make the competition feel more like an encouraging sign than a problem. Howie Roseman has been vocal about his confidence in the growth of Drew Kendall, Willie Lampkin and Micah Morris, a trio that has given the staff reasons to believe the depth along the front is moving in the right direction.
Drew Kendall and Willie Lampkin have been the most visible parts of that battle, each showing enough at guard to make a real case for playing time. Both have also contributed heavily in preseason action, and offensive line coach Chris Kuper has pointed to their progress and consistency throughout camp, which is exactly the kind of development the Eagles want to see before the games start counting. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Home Opener Could Mean More Than Fans Realize
The Eagles are getting set for their Week 1 home opener against the Washington Commanders, and the usual buzz around the start of a new season carries a quieter layer of significance. For Philadelphia, this one could double as a look at two familiar faces who have been part of some of the franchises biggest moments: veteran tight end Dallas Goedert and right tackle Lane Johnson.
Goedert is playing on a one-year deal, with Eli Stowers waiting in the wings as a possible successor, while Johnson is viewed as someone who may be nearing the finish line of his career. Both have been central figures for the Eagles and have helped deliver two Super Bowl rings, which makes the possibility of this being their last home opener at Lincoln Financial Field feel like more than just another early-September game. [Read more 🡒]