NFL Draft 2012: How Jason Peters' Injury Impacts Eagles Draft Plan

The Philadelphia Eagles were racked by injury news that came as a devastating blow to their offensive line on Friday, and this news may have a huge impact on the Eagles' plans for the upcoming NFL draft.

Starting left tackle Jason Peters, who is a five-time Pro Bowl performer and one of the best players in the National Football League at his position, ruptured his Achilles tendon earlier this week and could miss the entire 2012 season according to a tweet by Geoff Mosher of the Wilmington News-Journal.

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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

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Dan Graziano of ESPN confirms Mosher's report, and relays that while the team has already moved to address the loss of Peters by re-upping reserve tackle King Dunlap, it's all but certain that the team will be forced to make additional moves, including potentially addressing the tackle position early in the 2012 draft.

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Peters is one of the very best tackles in the NFL and will be nearly impossible to replace. But replace him they must. They re-signed free agent King Dunlap to a one-year contract Friday, which will help because he's their best backup tackle. But Dunlap doesn't project as a 16-game starter for a team with championship dreams, so they'll have to look at other options.

They have two second-round picks in addition to the 15th overall pick in the first round of next month's draft, so it's possible they could package some picks and move up in the draft to get someone.

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In addition to possibly trading up in the first round to select a player such as tackle Riley Reiff of Iowa, there's a decent chance that Stanford tackle Jonathan Martin will still be on the board when the Eagles go on the clock with the 15th overall pick. While the 6'5", 312-pound Martin may not be the player Peters is (at least not yet), the Stanford standout is a two-time All-American who could likely pick up much of Peters' slack.

Also, the Eagles could conceivably wait and use one of their two second-round selections on a potential replacement. When the Eagles choose twice in the middle of the draft's second round, offensive linemen such as Florida State's Zebrie Sanders and Bobby Massie of Ole Miss will probably be available. These prospects aren't as refined as Martin, but they also carry a lower price tag, which wouldn't force the Eagles to alter their draft day strategy significantly in light of Peters' injury.

It's also possible that the Eagles could attempt to add a tackle in free agency, although, as Graziano points out, now that the first wave of free-agent signings have occurred, that cupboard isn't particularly well-stocked.

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The best remaining tackle on the free-agent market is Demetrius Bell, who's had offers from teams to play right tackle but may have been holding out for a left tackle job (or at least left-tackle money). The Eagles have the cap room to sign someone like Bell, and if Peters were to come back during the season or next year they'd have impressive depth at tackle.

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However, as Graziano states, signing Bell wouldn't come cheaply and he carries injury risks of his own, given that he missed nine games for the Buffalo Bills last season with a shoulder injury. The Eagles' safest and surest bet may be to address their suddenly glaring need at offensive tackle in the draft.

It's entirely possible that given the team's relative lack of depth at tackle that the Eagles may have intended to draft one early this year anyway, but the crushing loss of Jason Peters changes that from a strategy that Philadelphia should consider to one that they not only must consider, but effectively have no choice but to implement.

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