Why Eagles shouldn’t shop Andre Dillard before training camp | 5 thoughts on offensive line

[time2rock]

Why Eagles shouldn’t shop Andre Dillard before training camp | 5 thoughts on offensive line

Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle Andre Dillard could be on the trade block this summer.Yong Kim/Pool Photo via AP

 

By Mike Kaye | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

 

As the Eagles enter the final week of their offseason program, the front office will look to make its final touches on the roster before the start of training camp in July.

 

While the Eagles have holes and uneven depth at multiple positions -- including cornerback and linebacker -- the roster is strong in the trenches, which fits the team’s longstanding philosophy.

 

The Eagles’ offensive line has dealt with a heavy rash of injuries over the past two seasons, and the team has added and developed within the unit as a result.

 

Here are five thoughts on the offensive line entering the summer:

 

The Eagles shouldn’t rush Andre Dillard out of town

 

There’s been a lot of conjecture about Dillard’s status this offseason. While he’s primed to battle Jordan Mailata for the left tackle job in training camp, Dillard -- a 2019 first-round pick -- appears to be the underdog on the surface.

 

After 4 p.m. on Tuesday, the Eagles will have a bit more flexibility with how they can handle Dillard, as trading him will save the team around $1.6 million in cap space.

 

While there are teams who are probably looking for upgrades at left tackle, Dillard has yet to show he is capable of being an upgrade for anyone. His rookie-season performance left a lot to be desired and he missed all of last season after undergoing bicep surgery. With a new regime in place, Dillard should have a somewhat clean slate and at least warrant a look in training camp. Even if Mailata wins the starting job, Dillard could prove to be vital depth on a unit that always has ailments pop up.

 

Along with the evaluation process, the Eagles’ ability to collect value on a trade for Dillard increases during training camp. It’s typical for teams to have offensive line injuries during the summer.

 

If a team loses its left tackle in camp, the Eagles will have the leverage to acquire value in a trade. Trading Dillard to a desperate team in August would most likely lead to better value than simply trading him sight unseen to be left tackle competition elsewhere.

 

There’s no need to rush Landon Dickerson into the starting lineup

 

Dickerson appears to be in great shape, despite being just six months removed from ACL surgery. While Dickerson is pegged as a future cornerstone of the line, rushing him into the lineup is unnecessary. The Eagles need long-term results from Dickerson, not immediate satisfaction.

 

With center Jason Kelce and guards Isaac Seumalo and Brandon Brooks ready to roll, the Eagles should rely on their veterans before passing the torch. If Dickerson is comfortable to start by Week 6, moving Seumalo down the depth chart would make sense, especially if the Eagles view the rookie as an upgrade.

 

However, for now, as he recovers from major knee surgery, the smart play would be to utilize Dickerson as the first interior lineman off the bench until the doctors and coaches feel he can be a huge upgrade over whoever he’d replace.

 

Jordan Mailata shouldn’t be given anything

 

As mentioned earlier, Dillard shouldn’t be rushed out of town. While Mailata showed a lot of potential last year, the Eagles can’t just hand him the starting left tackle job. Dillard can serve as a worthwhile challenger for the Australian, who has only played one season of meaningful football in his life.

 

Mailata needs to show he can be a dominant left tackle in practice and the preseason. While he is still young and learning the position, it’s okay to put pressure on him. Ideally, the Eagles would have Dillard and Mailata battle and the loser would be a top-tier backup at a position of importance.

 

The Eagles owe it to themselves to see this competition through, especially with how head coach Nick Sirianni consistently brings up the c-word every chance he gets.

 

Look for the Eagles’ depth chart to be two-deep at each position

 

If Dillard sticks around -- as a starter or a backup -- look for the Eagles to have strong positional depth along the line. The Eagles are likely to focus their depth charts on specific positions in training camp, as opposed to the natural "swing” concept for backups. Essentially, look for there to be a backup left tackle and a backup right tackle, as opposed to a singular swing tackle.

 

The same could be said for the guard position. While Dickerson could be the main interior backup, the Eagles are likely to factor in their depth group by positions of focus.

 

The depth chart could look something like this:

 

Left Tackle	Left Guard	Center	Right Guard	Right Tackle
Jordan Mailata	Isaac Seumalo	Jason Kelce	Brandon Brooks	Lane Johnson
Andre Dillard	Sua Opeta	Landon Dickerson	Nate Herbig	Jack Driscoll

 

Le’Raven Clark is a wild card

 

Clark is coming off Achilles surgery, so he is likely to be a delayed participant in training camp. That said, he still has a few things going for him.

 

Clark has played for Sirianni over the past three years, and he has swing tackle versatility. While the Eagles are likely to avoid the complications that come with having just one backup offensive tackle, Clark gives the team functionality and veteran experience at both tackle positions.

 

Also, Clark -- if healthy -- gives the Eagles options with Dillard. If Mailata wins the left tackle job outright, Clark -- instead of Dillard -- could serve as his backup, allowing the Eagles to shop Dillard for a trade return and additional cap space.

 

Clark’s availability -- or lack thereof -- could be a deciding factor in keeping or trading Dillard. That’s why it makes sense for the Eagles to be patient with both linemen.

https://www.nj.com/eagles/2021/06/why-eagles-shouldnt-shop-andre-dillard-before-training-camp-5-thoughts-on-offensive-line.html

 

[UK_EaglesFan89]

Agree with the article. Trading Dillard at this point makes no sense. Let him battle it out with Mailata to be the starter. I mean look Mailata is the favourite but I am not sure why people are so quick to write Dillard off. He was fine at LT as a rookie in the couple of games he started. He then was going to be the starter last year until he suffered a season ending injury. He was a first round pick only 2-3 years ago and was very highly regarded coming out of college. And right now what is his trade value? A late round pick? May as well keep him around. This team suffers with a lot of injuries so having Dillard as the back up LT and knowing if needed they could move Mailata to RT and bring Dillard in at LT is valuable.

[time2rock]

Quote

The depth chart could look something like this:

 

Left Tackle	Left Guard	Center	Right Guard	Right Tackle
Jordan Mailata	Isaac Seumalo	Jason Kelce	Brandon Brooks	Lane Johnson
Andre Dillard	Sua Opeta	Landon Dickerson	Nate Herbig	Jack Driscoll

 

Personally I'd prefer Dickerson to be penciled in as #2 LG behind Seumalo and hoping Juriga has shown enough progress to be considered for backup OC behind Kelce.  IMO Opeta is the weak link there (but at least we don't see Pryor anywhere on that DC ... I imagine his time here is up this summer).