Eagles Center Answers Biggest Offseason Question: "He's Done A Bang-Up Job"

The Philadelphia Eagles lost Jason Kelce to retirement but his replacement has created his own set of shoes to walk in.

Nov 14, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles center Cam Jurgens (51) against the Washington Commanders at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images / Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

PHILADELPHIA – One of the biggest questions during the Eagles' offseason began in early March – can Cam Jurgens do it?

The question was one of the top storylines as OTAs opened months later and again when July arrived, and training camp began – Can Cam do it, can he fill the shoes of Jason Kelce?

Jurgens was consistent in his answer then and now, saying he wasn’t here to fill shoes, but to make his own. He has done that.

If anyone can relate to having big shoes to fill, it’s left tackle Jordan Mailata. The left tackle had to make his own shoes starting in 2020 when Jason Peters moved on. His answer to the question regarding Jurgens?

“I think he’s proved a lot of people wrong, maybe that was his mission, but I’d like to think Cam was just thinking, 'I’m going out there to play ball and do my job,'” said Mailata. “I love Cam. He’s got a hunger; he’s got a fire. Kind of reminds of that same fire of (number) 62 (Kelce), to be honest.

“Maybe it is proving people wrong; 62 always wanted to do that. I believe Cam is on the same path, not the same guy, they’re two different guys, but Cam’s doing a bang-up job.”

The succession plan was already in place when the Eagles drafted him in April 2022 as Kelce’s replacement after starting 31 of 32 games at center for Nebraska. Except when he arrived in Philadelphia in the second round, as the 51st player taken overall – and with Kelce's endorsement – he basically took a redshirt year as a rookie because Kelce was an ironman.

In Jurgens’ second year, he made 11 starts – at right guard. An injury sent him to injured reserve, costing him some games.

This year, he has stayed healthy for all 16 games so far, beginning his own ironman streak, though he has a long way to go to reach the 156 straight starts Kelce made before he retired.

Offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland (left) gives center Cam Jurgens direction during a drill at Eagles training camp. / Ed Kracz/Eagles on SI

“I think he's done a really nice job,” said head coach Nick Sirianni. “It's never easy to replace a legend, which we all know how special of a player and leader Jason Kelce was. So, he's had to step in and fill those shoes, and I think he's done a really nice job.”

Even if he doesn’t play 156 in a row – and, really, the odds of doing are slim to none at this point – what matters is his play when he’s on the field, and there’s no doubt he has answered the question. Yes, he can do it.

“You look at everything first,” said head coach Nick Sirianni. “You look at having 13 wins. Cam is the center of a 13-win football team. He's got to play good for that to happen. He's played good for us to be able to do that. You've got a 2,000-yard rusher, which is special. The center's got to play good for that to happen as well.

“I think all the writing is on the wall of how good of football he's played and all the good things he's done based off what this team has done. And never easy to do what he had to do there, but he's really played good football through these 16 games.”

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