Eagles Top 25 Best Players Countdown: Two-Time Pro Bowl Selection Lands at No. 8

Landon Dickerson keeps getting better and earned a massive contract extension this offseason.

Oct 22, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles guard Landon Dickerson (69) against the Miami Dolphins at Lincoln Financial Field. / Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

PHILADELPHIA - The Eagles didn’t know where Landon Dickerson’s future would be after selecting the former Alabama star with the 37th overall selection in the 2021 NFL Draft. 

The organization did feel comfortable projecting the now fourth-year pro was going to be a solid option on the interior whenever he was declared fit from a second torn ACL in the SEC Championship game.

Worries over his health knocked Dickerson out of the first round and into the second where the Eagles decided the risk/reward was worth it. It turns out a redshirt year was not in the cards after injuries to Brandon Brooks and Isaac Seumalo and a less-than 100% Dickerson was thrown into the fire as a rookie getting bowled over on his first NFL play.

"The first play I had was awful," Dickerson laughed. "… Not very good. If you want to watch it, it was the San Fran game, 2021. I wouldn’t recommend pulling it up. It did not go very well. But yeah, reflecting off that, and even going back to high school and college, and what I’ve been through. It just makes me appreciate being here."

Things have settled down to say the least.

Fast forward through 51 starts and two Pro Bowl berths and Dickerson has settled in as one of the NFL’s better left guards, teaming with good friend Jordan Mailata to give offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland perhaps the best left-hand in the game.

Dickerson, who earned a four-year, $84 million extension in the offseason finished No. 8 on SI.com’s annual list of the top 25 Eagles ranked by Eagles on Sports Illustrated beat reporters Ed Kracz and John McMullen.

The list has become an annual affair as the two reporters submit their top 25 lists simultaneously so each would be unaffected by the others. No. 1 on the list is awarded 25 points and so on down the list with No. 25 receiving one point.

Dickerson finished as high as No. 6 on McMullen’s list and was also top 10 on Kracz’a at No. 9, good enough to land at No. 8 overall slot. 

“Super excited,” Dickerson said after getting his extension. “It reiterates how much the coaches and (general manager) Howie (Roseman) and (owner) Mr. (Jeffrey) Lurie want to keep me around here. I absolutely love being here, and I really didn’t plan on going anywhere else.”

“You don’t have to tell Howie that, though,” Dickerson laughed. “It just shows a lot of respect and how much trust they have in me to continue to grow as a player, and develop, and do good things for this team and this city.”

One of the more powerful blockers in the NFL at 6-foot-6 and 332 pounds, Dickerson has already helped running backs Miles Sanders and D’Andre Swift reach career-best numbers while running the football. This season, the expectations are ramped up with the talented Saquon Barkley in the fold.

“I’m extremely excited to add another talented guy like that to the roster,” said Dickerson. “Again, I’ve said this for the past three years, every team has a one-year expiration on it. So, bringing in a guy like Saquon, I think for us, is adding to the amount of talent that we have. I’m really excited to see what he does.”

What Dickerson has done is fit in seamlessly with one of the best offensive lines in the NFL.

"I think it’s just the way that the city and the fans feed off this team," Dickerson said of his fit in Philadelphia. “It’s a very demanding place to play and a lot of people aren’t up for that task. But for me, I absolutely love it.

"There’s a high expectation every season. And the fans are going to let you know how you guys are doing, whether it’s walking down the middle of the street or going in at halftime.  They’re brutally honest with you. I appreciate that."

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