Eagles Injury At Right Guard Could Open Door For Others, Including Former Jets Tackle

Tyler Steen's ankle injury will force him to miss time, which could be benefical to others at a postion where there appears to be plenty of depth; so who has the best shot?

Tyler Steen will miss time with an ankle injury and that could open the door for Mekhi Becton to win the starting right guard job. / Ed Kracz/Eagles on SI

PHILADELPHIA – Missing practice time in training camp is never a good thing, especially for a young player. It happened to Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean last summer and it’s happening now for rookie defensive back Cooper DeJean and second-year offensive lineman Tyler Steen.

DeJean was spotted watching the DBs during individual drills during Monday's practice while Steen was hanging around the sidelines after suffering an ankle injury on Saturday.

DeJean’s timeline for returning was three weeks when camp started, so he probably has about two more weeks to go, which means he will miss the Aug. 9 preseason opener in Baltimore against the Ravens on Aug. 9.

Steen? Head coach Nick Sirianni isn't saying, but believes he won't miss much time.

“It hurts that he's not in there right now getting those full-speed reps because you get better at football by playing football,” said Sirianni about Steen.

It’s certainly not ideal when you’re trying to win a job. Especially when the Eagles have loaded up at that position.

When Steen left on Saturday, Darian Kinnard stepped in at right guard. On Monday, it was Mekhi Becton, who backed up Kinnard and spelled Lane Johnson at right tackle.

Mekhi Becton and offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland leave the field together with Stoutland giving Becton coaching pointers. / Ed Kracz/Eagles on SI

“You know, I don't know what I'm gonna be when I come in here,” said Becton, laughing. “Once I step on the field, I know I gotta be ready for whatever.”

There’s a good chance Becton can win the right guard job, especially now that Steen will miss however long he misses.

“Mekhi has had a good camp so far and looking forward to getting him some work next to (right tackle) Lane (Johnson) and continuing to work forward with that,” said Sirianni. “As bummed as we are that Steen is going to be out for a little bit - and not giving the timeline there. It shouldn't be something that's long - give other people opportunities to work, and Mekhi is going to be one of those guys.”

If nothing else, the Eagles probably know by now that Becton can play guard, a position that the New York Jets never had him try when they took him 11th overall in 2020, playing him only at tackle.

That's New York's loss and the Eagles' gain.

"I think Mekhi is doing great,” said Landon Dickerson. “He's had to bounce around a few positions. We had some guys get banged up. Nothing different than what happens during the season right? We have a guy that can swing at both guard and tackle, can play both guard spots. That's a lot of value in the NFL. He's able to play four out of five positions.”

When Dickerson was excused from minicamp for personal reasons, Becton stepped in at his left guard spot. Now, it’s right guard. His transition from exclusively playing tackle to guard appears seemless.

"It's getting easier,” he said. “Coach (Jeff) Stoutland is such a great coach. He knows what I'm thinking. Me and him talk to each other back and forth, talk ball back and forth. He helps me out with that transition.”

That’s not to say the competition is over. Kinnard is clearly in the mix. Others such as Max Scharping and rookie Trevor Keegan may be longshots.

Of course, Becton would like to start somewhere, but he knows the talent this team has on the line.

"Very important,” was his answer to a question about how important it is for him be one of the starting five on the O-line.

“I know I'm not...like that wasn't the thing when they signed me here. I don't have to get ready. I just know when my number is called, I'm always going to be ready. If I can start, I'll start. If I don't, I'll be ready.”

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