Draft Impact: Philadelphia Eagles LT Jason Peters Ruptures Achilles

The Philadelphia Eagles re-signed offensive tackle King Dunlap this morning. It seemed like a smart move to build depth at the position with talent that the team is plenty familiar with, as Dunlap spent the last four years in Philadelphia.

The Eagles didn't extend a restricted free-agent tender to Dunlap this offseason, so it was a bit curious that they would sign him so soon after not attempting to retain his services.

With that being said, Geoff Mosher of the Wilmington News-Journal shared some news on Twitter this morning that might shed more light on the Eagles' actions:

"

OK, I have confirmation from team source: Peters sustained rupture Achillees. Surgery set for Tuesday. Team likely to announce soon.

— Geoff Mosher (@geoffmosher) March 30, 2012"

Peters is one of the best left tackles in the league by far, and losing him is a major blow, as Dunlap is a clear downgrade. In addition, while an Achilles blowout isn't as devastating for an offensive lineman as it is for explosive offensive and defensive skill players, it is still something that should sideline Peters for the season.

As a result, the team will be forced to look back to the draft, or free agency, for more depth.

If the Eagles select an offensive tackle in the first round at No. 15—like Iowa's Riley Reiff or Stanford's Jonathan Martin—it could be an indication that they have misgivings about Peters' future. Offensive tackle has to be a strong consideration in the first round, as the Eagles have an extra second-round pick to cover other positions.

The team could move right tackle Todd Herremans to the left side and draft Georgia OG/OT Cordy Glenn in the first, who is a better fit on the right side in the NFL even though he played LT for the Bulldogs last year.

The extra second could even become ammo to move up for the No. 2 offensive tackle on the board. Another likely scenario is that they select another tackle in the second round or later for emergency depth and a player to groom as Peters' future backup, as Dunlap was re-signed on a one-year deal.