The Washington Commanders are expected by many to have closed the gap between them and the defending Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles. With quarterback Jayden Daniels coming off an amazing rookie season, the team made strong efforts to improve its offensive line.
Despite their best efforts, however, there are still plenty of questions surrounding the Commanders' ability to protect Daniels, especially with second-year lineman Brandon Coleman missing a handful of practices so far this training camp, and first-round rookie Josh Conerly Jr. trying as hard as he can to be ready to start in Week 1.
The good news is, Washington isn't the only team worried about its offensive line, as the Eagles themselves are facing some similar questions.
A Rival's 'Warning Signs'
NFL.com columnist Jeffri Chadiha recently wrote about five NFL teams with early warning signs in training camp, and he put Philadelphia on the list, saying the defending champs have "more questions up front with the Landon Dickerson injury."
"The Eagles now have some sense of what they're dealing with after Dickerson collapsed during practice on Sunday night and needed to be carted back to the locker room. Reports say he injured his right knee during the session, but the initial diagnosis is the best possible news for Philadelphia. There's now a possibility Dickerson could return before the start of the regular season, as surgeons apparently only need to trim a portion of the meniscus to resolve the issue. If Dickerson had been looking at a complete tear, it would've involved a season-ending operation.
"The Eagles are facing a major challenge for an offensive line that has been arguably the best in football over the last few years. Philadelphia lost right guard Mekhi Becton in free agency, but the team has been encouraged by the play of Tyler Steen at that spot throughout training camp. Losing Dickerson would be an entirely different story. He's been one of the best guards in football -- as he was named to each of the last three Pro Bowls -- and the options to replace him aren't great. One that might make the most sense is moving Steen to left guard and finding an answer on the right side in the interim. However this all plays out, it looms large for the reigning Super Bowl champions. The 2024 Eagles boasted one of the league's top offenses, with a line that blew open enough holes for running back Saquon Barkley to join the 2,000-yard club and earn Offensive Player of the Year honors. We'll see how Philly fares if Dickerson misses time."
Part of the reason many feel the Commanders have closed the gap with the Eagles is because of the work they've done on their own roster, but the losses suffered by the other side this offseason have to do with it as well.
More Than Just Injuries
Along with players, mostly on defense, Philadelphia also lost offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, who was hired to be the New Orleans Saints' new head coach following the Super Bowl win over the Kansas City Chiefs.
A new scheme requires new education, and the more a player misses the early phases of installing that offense the more detrimental it can be to his performance. For the offensive line, which requires five individuals to play as one, that can be a big problem, or red flag as NFL.com put it.
An Opportunity for Washington
Whether or not it significantly impacts the Eagles' chances of repeating is still to be seen, but the situation is at least worth monitoring for any team trying to topple the champs. Especially the Commanders, who have a shot at bringing them down in more than one way.
