Over the next couple of weeks, we'll be taking a look at each of the Philadelphia Eagles' positional groups. We'll determine if the Birds are likely to select a player at that position with one of their eight picks in the 2020 NFL Draft, as well as note some players who make sense.
Previous Eagles 2020 positional draft previews
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end
Today we'll look at a position of sneaky importance in this draft, offensive tackle. First, the depth chart:
| 1 | 2 |
| Andre Dillard | Jordan Mailata |
| Lane Johnson | Matt Pryor? |
The Eagles have the best right tackle in the NFL in Lane Johnson. Beyond Johnson, there are a lot of questions.
Is Andre Dillard ready to take over for Jason Peters?
About a week after Doug Pederson enthusiastically stated at the NFL Combine that he wanted Peters to return to the team in 2020, the Philadelphia Eagles announced that they and Peters "mutually agreed" that Peters would test the free agent market.
It's probably the right move, seeing as the team spent heavy draft resources to land their left tackle of the future during the 2019 NFL Draft in Andre Dillard, and it would be nearly unprecedented for a first round tackle to sit for two seasons before getting a shot as the full-time starter. At some point, you have to take the training wheels off and let the much younger player sink or swim.
Of course, Dillard could have made the decision a lot easier if he showed more promise in the chances he did get to play in 2019, but there was more bad than good.
Who will be the backups at LT and RT?
When Jordan Maialta was wowing former offensive linemen during the 2018 preseason with his size and athleticism, it seemed like a good sign that the football newb would develop into a capable backup, at a minimum, and potentially a lot more.
After landing on injured reserve in each of the last two seasons, however, Mailata is heading into his third offseason with the Eagles, having never appeared in a regular season game. After allowing him to focus just on playing LT his rookie season, the Eagles attempted to cross-train Mailata at RT last year, an adjustment that was difficult for him.
Meanwhile, Matt Pryor has been cross-training at RG and RT for two years now, and he got his first taste of action in real games in 2019. There was some good, and some bad, and the bad (slow feet and recognition) are not ideal traits on the edge. In my view, he looked more like a backup "guard only" than a backup guard/tackle.
The Eagles could attempt to re-focus Mailata just on the LT position, and try to give Pryor more time this offseason at RT, which, if successful, would solve their swing tackle vacancy, but it feels a lot more like they need to add a legitimate swing tackle in the draft.
Projected round: 4-5, but I could see a team wildly over-drafting him on Day 2.
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