Aging Eagles Offensive Line Must Be Addressed in 2015 Draft

When healthy, few teams boast five quality offensive lineman as good as or better than the Philadelphia Eagles. Jason Peters, Evan Mathis and Jason Kelce have all been invited to the Pro Bowl, Lane Johnson was the fourth overall pick in the 2014 draft and Todd Herremans has been an NFL starter for nine seasons.

But as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. Peters, Mathis and Herremans will each be 33 or older in 2015, which means their best days are either already behind them or closing in fast. And the worst part is not that these good-to-great players are in decline, but that the Birds don’t already have the talent in the pipeline to replace them.

Simply put, the Eagles cannot afford to wait until three-fifths of the offensive line is broken-down, has departed or has retired. The organization must infuse the unit with young talent beginning immediately with this year’s draft.

We’ve seen all too well just how thin the club is behind its starters. The “when healthy” part has been a major issue for Philly. In two of the past three seasons, 80 percent of the starting offensive line has missed no fewer than four games for injury or other reasons. Needless to say, the depth behind those players was lacking.

POSITION	PLAYER	AGE ON OPENING DAY 2015
LT	Jason Peters	33
LG	Evan Mathis	33
C	Jason Kelce	27
RG	Todd Herremans	32
RT	Lane Johnson	25

And is it any coincidence that a group of aging players is experiencing so many injuries? Probably not. Peters, Mathis and Herremans have all missed time at some point during the past three seasons, and as their bodies break down, the likelihood for further absences only increases.

The players who were called upon to step in for ’14 gave an admirable effort, but you would be hard-pressed to tab anybody in the group as a future starter after their performance this season. Guards Matt Tobin and Dennis Kelly? Center David Molk? Swingman Andrew Gardner? They served their purpose, but none truly stood out, despite extensive playing time.

It’s not as if a ton of relief will be available in free agency, either. Most of the decent players on the market, of which there will be few and far between, will either be up there in age themselves or looking for starting opportunities. That doesn’t do much for the Eagles right now.

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It’s not as if the old guard hasn’t begun to show signs of decline. Peters may have been invited to his seventh Pro Bowl this season, but it's for arguably his worst campaign since joining the Eagles in ’09. Mathis wasn’t exactly stellar, either, in addition to missing eight games. And Herremans, the “weak link” of the group, if there is one, suffered his second season-ending injury in three years.

Granted, Pro Bowl center Kelce has had his share of bad luck with injuries as well, while Johnson’s four-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs is certainly a situation to monitor moving forward. At 27 and 24 years of age, respectively, though, you have to hope those players will be penciled into the lineup for awhile.

Johnson eventually may be able to replace Peters at that all-important left tackle spot, traditionally the anchor position on any offensive line. Whether or not that is the case, the Eagles at minimum need to consider who will take over on the right side. And if Johnson isn’t up for the challenge on the left, most players who are were first-round picks, which means the Birds better think early.

And considering Mathis and Herremans are both guards, that area seems like it may be the most pressing issue of all. Either player could be done tomorrow—Mathis was the subject of trade rumors last offseason and Herremans a potential cap casualty—yet there’s no obvious replacement on the roster.

PLAYER	2012	2013	2014
J. Peters	16	0	0
E. Mathis	0	0	8
J. Kelce	14	0	4
T. Herremans	8	0	8
L. Johnson	-	0	4

Considering the importance of the offensive line, both in paving the way for the rushing attack as well as keeping the quarterback upright, the looming need at the position can’t be overlooked any longer. The injuries took their toll both in 2012 and ’14, and the diminishing level of talent can only make matters worse.

The Eagles have plenty of needs heading into this offseason, but it doesn’t matter who’s under center or carrying the football if the offensive line can’t protect them or open up holes. It doesn’t matter how good the defense is if the offense can’t put points on the board because it can’t carry out these most basic of functions.

Peters, Mathis and Herremans are all likely to return as starters in ’15 and may even continue to perform anywhere from capably to serviceable. Sooner or later, though, they will all falter—and the Eagles better be prepared.