Once again, the Philadelphia Eagles are viewed as the best offensive line in the NFL, in the eyes of Pro Football Focus.
Last season, the Philadelphia Eagles offensive line had some big shoes to fill. In their effort the previous season, the bar was raised ridiculously high. In 2017, their line full of bodyguards was playing at a high level. And even a backup was playing at a reasonably high level when he was asked to come and fill in for an injured veteran.
Unfortunately, the Eagles failed to remain as dominant in 2018. It wasn’t because of a bunch of changes either. Instead, they struggled to stay healthy. Lane Johnson, Brandon Brooks, and Jason Kelce all played throughout the entire regular season without missing a game. But just because they were present, doesn’t mean they were fully there.
Jason Kelce had a ton of injuries that he couldn’t even fully describe. Johnson had a high-ankle sprain, and it was evident he was struggling more than usual. Brooks was healthy for the most part and turned in a solid effort, but he would eventually get hurt in the playoffs, which caused a visible hole on the offensive line during the divisional round against the New Orleans Saints.
On the left side, the Eagles had no stability. Isaac Seumalo and Stefen Wisniewski were playing musical chairs at guard, while Jason Peters was coming back from a major injury, and suffering a new one. Peters had to come out for some rest throughout the year, and his once impressive backup in Halapoulivaati Vaitai did not serve the team as well as he did during the Super Bowl run.
How are they looking for 2019?
All in all, the Eagles offensive line wasn’t as good in 2018 as they were in 2017. That’s not to say they didn’t have talent — but their health issues caused them to be inconsistent. Hopefully, by the time week one rolls around this year, the O-Line will be healthy and ready to go. If the big men can remain in good condition, they have the chance to be the best offensive line in the league again.
"“The Eagles spent their first-round pick on Washington State offensive tackle Andre Dillard to act as insurance should the ailing Jason Peters fail to play a complete season in 2019. However, Philadelphia has earned top-ten team pass- and run-blocking grades in each of the last three seasons and PFF data suggests that they will accomplish this feat again as they enter the 2019 season with the top-ranked offensive line in the NFL.”"
In the eyes of Pro Football Focus, the Eagles have the best offensive line in the NFL heading into the preseason. They received the same honors last year after the miraculous Super Bowl run. While they didn’t fully live up to that expectation in 2018 of becoming the best, their 2019 effort becomes slightly easier as there is no Super Bowl hangover occurring. Remaining healthy will be key this season, and as long as the O-Line is intact, the Eagles offense should be dangerous.