Cam Jurgens is ready for prime time as he looks to fill an Eagles legend's shoes
Do you ever ask yourself questions about what Cam Jurgens must be thinking? We sure as heck do. Think about this for a second. The Philadelphia Eagles selected him 51st in the 2022 NFL Draft, and a franchise legend helped handpick him. Now, he takes over as the anchor of Philly's O-line as Jason Kelce settles further into retirement.
That alone is a mouthful. We assume die-hard Birds fans like yourself have been keeping up with what has happened these past two seasons. Philly was tossing ideas around about adding the 2021 Third-Team All-Big Ten nod to the nest. They asked Jason his opinion. Like the Eagles' brass, the G.O.A.T. signed off. The former Cornhusker was now the heir apparent.
Just like that, the former second-rounder found himself in a unique position, joining a great team and learning from a future Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee still playing at a high level. Cam's relationship with Jason is and has been invaluable. It's one that he will carry with him for as long as he's an Eagle.
Is he ready to take over and anchor the offensive line? Our opinion? He absolutely is!
The Eagles offensive line will be fine, but some are hesitant about labeling them as 'elite'.
Mental reps are one thing. On-field experience is another. Cam Jurgens had the fortunate experiences of doing both. He studied as the backup from the sideline as a rookie. He learned while playing next to Kelce as a starter last season. He's been taught by the great Jeff Stoutland.
Cam has game, but there's this vibe. People aren't as confident about the Eagles' O-line as they normally are.
We understand why that's the case. You don't just replace someone like Jason Kelce. So, again... What must Cam be thinking right now?
Establish The Run's Brandon Thorn recently pieced together his 2024 ranking of NFL offensive lines. The Philadelphia Eagles land in the 'very good' category along with the Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs, and Indianapolis Colts. One team stands alone at the top, the Detroit Lions. They're the only team mentioned in the elite tier.
We have questions about that. Are the Eagles not elite along the front? Would they be considered such if Kelce was still in town? We believe they would be. We believe, though it's impossible to replace someone like Jason, this will still be one of the top two or three O-lines in the game and Cam Jurgens will be one of the biggest reasons for that.
We have offered theories about why you should be excited. We most certainly are. We won't deny it. Cam indeed walks into the coming season with a huge responsibility. Again, you have heard of Jeff Stoutland, right?
Jason credits Coach Stoutland with transforming him into a future Hall of Famer, so here's where we sit. If he's good enough to pass Stout's eye test, he should be good enough to pass all of ours. He's going to be a great Eagle. Just wait and see.