Eagles
Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
In war movies, there’s always that climactic scene where the battered and broken-spirited protagonist surveys the consequences of battle. Defeated by war, they’ll gaze upon disoriented and dismembered soldiers, causing the viewer to sense the despair through the screen. It’s almost always in slow motion, driven by a faint ringing noise or an epic orchestral score.
On Sunday, the Los Angeles Rams stole a last-second victory at Lincoln Financial Field. To add insult to injury, no pun intended, some of our brightest stars either left early with injuries or were briefly hindered by pain. Then, days later, future HOFer and starting RT Lane Johnson shockingly retired four games into the season for personal reasons. The very next day, as Eagles fans mourned the end of Johnson’s NFL career, two-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champion Cam Jurgens was traded to the Baltimore Ravens. Now, I can see the battered bodies. I hear the faint ringing. I see the consequences of battle. Though this feels like a turning point for the Philadelphia Eagles’ season, I don’t believe it’s for the worse. The offense may be a 3-and-out machine, but they aren’t punting just yet.
Honestly, I may start calling Howie, Heisenberg, because he cooked again. The Ravens sent a 2027 fifth-round pick and a 2028 second-round selection to the Eagles in exchange for Jurgens and a 2027 seventh-rounder. According to @spotrac, Jurgens is the first interior offensive lineman traded for a second-round pick or higher since at least 2011. The Ravens desperately needed a center after losing Tyler Linderbaum in free agency and losing two centers to injuries. When discussing the trade, Howie Roseman insisted they weren’t looking to trade Jurgens, had stayed in contact with Baltimore Ravens GM Eric DeCosta, and ultimately felt that what they were offering was value difficult to refuse. This was a big win for now and our future.
Future HOF center and brother-in-law to Taylor Swift, Jason Kelce handpicked Jurgens to ultimately succeed him at the center position for the Eagles before they selected him 51st overall in the 2022 NFL Draft. Kelce felt that he was the player most similar to himself: an agile yet powerful mauler capable of leading the unit as he did. Jurgens held it down, becoming a two-time pro bowler, but his past year of football has been less than desirable.
Last season, it was clear that the back injury he sustained during the 2024 Super Bowl run was lingering, making him look less nimble and less effective. This season was more of the same. Combine that with being uncomfortable in Sean Mannion’s new system and an unexpected shift to Left Guard as Landon Dickerson went to IR, and Jurgens performed the worst he’s ever had as a pro. For the 2026 season, PFF graded Jurgens’ overall performance a 38.7, 73rd among 74 qualified guards. His pass block grade alone was 31.7, ranking him 68th. Whether it was injury, a new system, or the shift to Left Guard, Jurgens wasn’t performing at the high level the organization and the fans were accustomed to.
Second-year guard Drew Kendall assumed the center position and has been solid since relieving Jurgens. On 94.1 WIP, Landon Dickerson gave a health update, saying he’s feeling better and will return as soon as he’s cleared. All offseason, coaches and Roseman have gushed about their offensive line depth; now it’s time for those players to earn their keep. Willie Lampkin, the undersized ball of fury, will slide into LG until Dickerson returns. Markel Bell, an NBA power forward in another life, was expected to succeed Lane next year; that timeline has been accelerated. This offensive line struggled with Jurgens, and that’s not to say they won’t struggle without him, but something needed to change. Every Eagles fan was rooting for his benching yesterday, and though we are grateful he contributed to our second Super Bowl ring, today we should feel relieved at this trade and ecstatic about its return.
“We basically punted on the season.” This sentiment has been echoed on the radio, in group chats, and on social media feeds. I can’t predict the future. The Eagles could very well be a bad team by the trade deadline, looking to retool and reload for the following year, but I don’t believe this trade alone signals that we are sellers. Roseman is not one to live in the past. Jurgens was a decent player. He currently is not. The “Don” Howie Roseman was offered a deal he couldn’t refuse. Under Jeffrey Lurie’s ownership, the Eagles have been a winning organization; laughable organizations mail it in after four games no matter who retires suddenly. It hurts to say because I can’t stress enough the contributions Cam Jurgens made to this team during his tenure, but this is addition by subtraction and 2nd-round picks don’t come often for second-to-last-ranked players.
We won’t truly know if the Eagles are “punting” on the season until we get close to the trade deadline. If players like Goedert, Woolen or possibly Greenard are traded, then I’d assume the Eagles don’t believe they’re truly competing for a Super Bowl, but a Cam Jurgens trade in the first week of September doesn’t scream “tanking” to me. Just like the 2024 Eagles in a 4th-and-one situation, the Eagles aren’t punting yet.
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