March 01, 2025
Over the next few weeks, we'll be taking a position-by-position look at which players will likely be back with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2025, and which ones likely won't. Today we'll continue on with the centers.
Regarding the polls below, they are your votes on what you think the Eagles should do, not necessarily what you think they will do. Please think of them more as approval polls for each player.
After playing just 35 snaps as a rookie in 2022 and then starting at RG in 2023, Jurgens took over at his natural spot at center in 2024 following Jason Kelce's retirement. Heading into the season, it was unanimously acknowledged that there was likely to be some kind of dropoff in play at center from Kelce to Jurgens, given that Kelce was one of the best centers of all-time. It was really only a matter of how much. Turns out, Jurgens was up to the task of replacing the legendary Kelce, as he earned a Pro Bowl nod in his first season as the Eagles' starting center.
Jurgens started all 16 meaningful regular season games, missing only the Eagles' meaningless Week 18 matchup against the Giants. At some point, he injured his back and was a gametime decision in the NFC Championship Game against the Commanders. It was decided that he would not start, but would be active in case of an emergency. Landon Dickerson filled in at center, but when he got hurt Jurgens filled in and played almost the entire second half. Postgame, he very much looked like a guy who had a hurt back.
Jurgens is an elite athlete for a center, and he proved in the playoffs that he is also tough.
It was reported a week ago by ESPN that Jurgens had back surgery to alleviate nerve pain. He is expected to recover in time for Eagles training camp in 2025.
#JimmyVerdict: Jurgens is entering the final year of his rookie contract in 2025, which makes him an obvious candidate for a contract extension this offseason. Stay.
Do you want Cam Jurgens on the Eagles' 2025 roster?
Driscoll was an Eagles 2020 fourth-round pick who appeared in 54 games with 17 starts over the course of his rookie contract. He left in free agency to play for the Dolphins last offseason, made their initial 53-man roster, but was released thereafter. He then signed with the Eagles to the practice squad before being added to the 53-man roster in October.
Driscoll played just 109 snaps in 2024, all of which were in garbage time. He suffered an Achilles injury late in the season, and was placed on IR. In 2023, Driscoll had a rough performance against the Jets Week 6, which contributed to the Eagles' loss. To his credit, Driscoll later filled in for an injured Lane Johnson against the Bills and had a good game in an overtime win.
Early in his career, Driscoll seemed to be on a starting trajectory, as he played reasonably well as a rookie at RT in 2020 and as a RG in 2021, but his progression stalled. Driscoll has some guard-tackle versatility, and he played center for the Dolphins during training camp and in their preseason games. His career snap counts, not including when he has come in as a sixth offensive lineman:
| Year | LT | LG | C | RG | RT |
| 2020 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 287 |
| 2021 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 438 | 74 |
| 2022 | 148 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 204 |
| 2023 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 130 |
| 2024 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 76 | 32 |
| TOTAL | 151 | 0 | 0 | 549 | 727 |
The Eagles have familiarity and trust with Driscoll, but he has an offseason of injury recovery ahead.
Driscoll has played zero snaps at center in the NFL, but it is my understanding that the Eagles had (and maybe still have?) interest in developing him there. So, you know, we're including him here.
#JimmyVerdict: If indeed Driscoll can prove to be an effective backup center, he would have true five-position versatility, which the Eagles would value. He feels like a player who will just kind of keep finding himself on the team every year. I won't say "stay," because the Eagles could look to draft an interior offensive lineman with center versatility, and because he still has to recover from his injury, but he's a good bet to at least be back in camp.
Do you want Jack Driscoll on the Eagles' 2025 roster?
MORE: The 10 best NFL Combine performances by current Eagles
Toth has racked up a Julian Vandervelde-like 29 roster transactions over the course of his career and has been with the Eagles in some capacity every year since 2019. He spent the entirety of the 2024 regular season on the practice squad, but was called up to the 53-man roster for the playoffs after Driscoll suffered his Achilles injury.
If you were to look at an Eagles playoff depth chart, Toth would be listed as the second-team center, but in reality he was more like a third-stringer, seeing as Dickerson filled in at center in relief of Jurgens in the NFC Championship Game, as noted above.
#JimmyVerdict: Toth always finds his way back in camp with the Eagles, but he's a career fringe roster guy who is unlikely to make the team's initial 53-man roster.
Do you want Brett Toth back on the Eagles' 2025 roster?
If Toth was the third-string center during the playoffs, Gates was the fourth-stringer. When Brandon Graham was activated from IR, Gates was the obvious odd man out, though the team did him a little bit of a solid by placing him on IR with a "groin injury" rather than releasing him. As such, Gates got a ring, and got to have some fun at the parade.
#JimmyVerdict: We already have the answer to this question. The Eagles released Gates after the parade, allowing him to get a head start on free agency. Go.
Do you want Nick Gates back on the Eagles' 2025 roster?
Green = Stay
Red = Go
Blue = Will be back in camp in 2025, but a 53-man roster spot is not a given.
| Position | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| QB | Jalen Hurts | Kenny Pickett | Tanner McKee | |
| RB | Saquon Barkley | Kenny Gainwell | Will Shipley | Khari Blasingame |
| WR | A.J. Brown | DeVonta Smith | Jahan Dotson | Johnny Wilson |
| WR (cont.) | Britain Covey | Parris Campbell | Ainias Smith | |
| TE | Dallas Goedert | Grant Calcaterra | E.J. Jenkins | C.J. Uzomah |
| OT | Lane Johnson | Jordan Mailata | Fred Johnson | Darian Kinnard |
| OG | Landon Dickerson | Mekhi Becton | Tyler Steen | Trevor Keegan |
| C | Cam Jurgens | Jack Driscoll | Brett Toth | Nick Gates |
| ED | ||||
| iDL | ||||
| OBLB | ||||
| CB | ||||
| S | ||||
| K/P/LS |
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