Options

The Eagles need to figure out a plan at LG. They also need to figure out a plan at RCB. The coaches are trying different things as they hunt for solutions. They want to have options as they work through the situations.

Brett Toth got the first snaps at LG on Tuesday. He has practiced in place of Landon Dickerson a lot this summer. Having him there doesn’t tell us much. There was one interesting development.

Worth noting that Darian Kinnard is second-team LG today after previously playing on the right side of the line all camp. https://t.co/DYRx5YjurB

— Dave Zangaro (@DZangaroNBCS) August 12, 2025

Why is this noteworthy? The most obvious solution is to plug Matt Pryor into the starting lineup. You could move Tyler Steen to LG and have Pryor play RG. Moving Kinnard over to LG to get him acclimated there shows interest in him as a potential solution. The value in that is that Pryor could then remain the top backup at both guard spots and possibly both tackle spots. We know he can play RT. LT is a bit less certain. Kinnard doesn’t have a lot of experience, but he is talented and played well in the preseason opener.

Putting Kinnard at LG would keep Steen at RG, where he has spent the whole offseason. That would give you good continuity, which is invaluable on the O-line.

Jeff Stoutland will spend the next couple of weeks trying to figure out what his best options are. The Eagles hope Dickerson is back for the opener, but you can’t count on that. You need to have a plan for replacing him and then a backup plan for that. I would be Kinnard will get a lot of snaps at LG in the game on Saturday.

One option they won’t have…Kenyon Green. He is dealing with a shoulder injury and is expected to miss the rest of the preseason. His best hope for now is if the Eagles put him on IR.

Vic Fangio is doing some mixing and matching of his own.

Drew Mukuba getting work with the 1s at safety. This safety competition heats up in what’s likely the final 7-9 days to determine lineup spots.

By late next week, Eagles first-teamers will be thinking Dallas.

— Zach Berman (@ZBerm) August 12, 2025

Fangio seems to want Mukuba to be a starter. He’s spoken highly of him since the Eagles selected Mukuba in the second round. Injuries are the only thing to keep Mukuba out of the lineup. Sydney Brown had a good showing in the game last week and he’s been solid this summer. Either one of them could start at safety.

Both Brown and Mukuba will be doing everything they can to win the job. They’ll have joint practices with the Browns and then the game on Saturday. Fangio will want to see as much of them as possible.

Mac McWilliams ran with the first-team defense a little bit as an outside CB. He’s an interesting player.

— Cayden Steele (@cayden_steele19) August 12, 2025

The coaches have been focused on Kelee Ringo and Adoree Jackson for most of the summer. The team traded for Jakorian Bennett last week so he’s now in the mix. On Tuesday they gave McWilliams a chance to show what he could do at outside corner. He’s spent a lot of time in the slot. Maybe this is more about cross-training than putting him in the actual competition. Still, it is an interesting development.

Both Stoutland and Fangio will be looking at different lineups and combinations of players. They need to start figuring out who the starters are going to be, but also need good backups in place.

*****

If you want to feel good about the Eagles, this should do the trick.

Jalen Hurts and the starting O just had what may be their most crisp stretch of training camp.

Four plays, four completions for first downs against tight coverage. Hurts’ ball placement was excellent on each, including a dig route to DeVonta Smith where only he could get it.

— EJ Smith (@EJSmith94) August 12, 2025

Here is a bit more from Jimmy Bama.

This was one of Jalen Hurts’ best days of the summer. He had several on-point throws, hitting DeVonta Smith in stride over the middle, as well as on a rope to the sideline. He also teamed up with Dallas Goedert on a well-placed ball that beat Quinyon Mitchell, who has been all over the Eagles’ best receivers like a glove. He also had a nice throw to Jahan Dotson near the sideline, beating McWilliams. Good throw, good coverage, good catch.

Hurts started slow last season. The Eagles schedule is brutal to begin the year so they need him ready to roll. It is encouraging to hear that he’s having some really strong practices against a good defense.

*****

Justin Rogers came out of Auburn in 2024

Natural anchor strength but not much refinement or athletic upside. At best I saw a rotational run stuffer at NT, but he needed a lot of work. This move makes sense with Byron Young still sidelined https://t.co/OVCYB5TM4z

— Fran Duffy (@FDuffyNFL) August 12, 2025

Byron Young was limited in practice on Tuesday. Gabe Hall was out. With the trade of Thomas Booker, that leaves the Eagles light at DT. Rogers will come in  to eat up snaps in practice and Saturday’s game.

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