It wasn’t necessarily pretty, but the Philadelphia Eagles did enough to pull out a 24-22 victory over the Washington Commanders in Week 1. Now, they are turning the page to Week 2, where a far easier matchup against the Tennessee Titans awaits. You can never take a game for granted in the NFL, though, and the Eagles are switching things up ahead of this game.
In the wake of last week’s game, Philadelphia lost star guard Landon Dickerson to injured reserve, forcing the team to make changes to its offensive line. However, the pair of moves the Eagles are making are certainly unexpected, as Cam Jurgens is being moved from his native center position in order to make room for Drew Kendall.
Eagles Announce Cam Jurgens, Drew Kendall Moves Along Offensive Line
Throughout their recent run of success, the Eagles have benefited from having one of the best offensive line groupings in the league at their disposal. Jurgens has slotted in nicely at the center position in the wake of Jason Kelce’s retirement after the 2023 campaign, earning Pro Bowl selections in each of his first two seasons as his replacement.
Jurgens’ stint at the starting center has been filled with highs and lows, and some folks have wondered whether or not he would be better off kicking back to one of the guard positions. With Dickerson and Tyler Steen manning those spots, though, it never really made any sense to move Jurgens off of this spot.
That has obviously changed with Dickerson out, and the Eagles are deciding to switch things up in an effort to replace him. Jurgens will be sliding over from center to left guard, with Kendall, a 2025 fifth-round pick, slotting in at the center position, meaning Jalen Hurts will be taking snaps from a new face in Week 2 at least.
Cam Jurgens, their center, will move to guard. Drew Kendall will start at center today vs. the Titans, per me and Ian Rapoport,” Cameron Wolfe reported on “NFL GameDay.” “A significant change with Landon Dickerson on injured reserve.
Eagles New Offensive Line Configuration Worth Watching in Week 2
Making this move on the fly, especially when you don’t necessarily have to, is a bit of a surprise. Jurgens could have simply stayed at center, and Kendall could have filled in at left guard during Dickerson’s absence. Instead, Philadelphia is implementing a new center on short notice, so it will be worth watching to see how this impacts Hurts, as it will be important for him and Kendall to be on the same page throughout the day.
Dickerson is going to miss time, but all indications are that he will be back on the field at some point this season, so once he returns, the Eagles are going to have to switch things up again, which only makes this move more confusing. Even with a clash against the lowly Titans on deck, it will be worth keeping tabs on Philly’s new-look offensive line to see how it fares in this game.
Eagles Make Unexpected Offensive Line Change Before Week 2