All Signs Point to Philadelphia Eagles Starting Tyler Steen at Right Guard vs. Dallas Cowboys
PHILADELPHIA - Nothing is official but it certainly seemed as if the Philadelphia Eagles were preparing rookie Tyler Steen for his first NFL start Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys.
Steen, one of the Eagles' back-to-back third-round picks this past April along with defensive back Sydney Brown, was working next to All-Pros Jason Kelce and Lane Johnson at right guard in combination blocking drills during Thursday's practice.
Take a look:
Second-year player Cam Jurgens started the first four games at right guard before injuring his foot against Washington on Oct. 1. Sua Opeta started the past four games, including last Sunday's rematch against the Commanders, a 38-31 shootout win by Philadelphia.
The Eagles did activate Jurgens' 21-day practice window this week and the Nebraska product, who is the heir apparent to Kelce at the next long-term center in Philadelphia, has been working in a limited fashion, an indication that Philadelphia plans to be cautious with his return.
Opeta, meanwhile, was estimated as limited with a hip injury at Wednesday's walkthrough but a full participant at Thursday's practice when he was working with the second team as Jeff Stoutland put his students through the paces.
Tyler Steen
John McMullen/Eagles Today
The clearest indication that the Eagles will let Jurgens ramp up for at least another two weeks was the early promotion of veteran receiver Julio Jones to fill the 53-man roster spot created when defensive tackle Kentavius Street was traded to Atlanta earlier this week. The 7-1 Eagles have a bye week after Sunday's game against the Cowboys.
A team source was also under the impression that Steen would start against the Cowboys.
"I feel like I've made strides in just understanding the offense a little better and little technique things," Steen said at his locker. "It's a little different playing tackle and guard, some different things you have to focus on, some different keys. Things like that so I just think a better understanding of the offense has helped me out."
The Eagles have started Steen slowly as he makes the transition from college offensive tackle to NFL guard. Steen played right tackle at Vanderbilt before transferring to Alabama where he played left tackle. He opened Philadelphia's eyes at the Senior Bowl by playing well when given the opportunity to play inside.
The transition has taken some time, though.
"At tackle, you have a lot of space and so at guard at times it feels a little like just cramped up a little bit like you don't want to step on people's feet and things like that," said Steen. "Also going against bigger bodies so different body types and things like that so it could be bigger people but maybe not as quick or outside, it's really fast people but not as big."
Steen was inactive for the first four weeks of the season and played 13 special teams snaps over the next three games before getting in at Washington for six snaps when Opeta banged up his hip. Although a small sample size, Steen impressed against the Commanders' talented interior duo of Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne.
“He only had a handful of plays, I think six plays, but I thought he did pretty good,” coach Nick Sirianni said when discussing Steen earlier this week. “He held his own against two really good players in Allen and Payne.”
Although an edge player, the Cowboys often move Defensive Player of the Year candidate Micah Parsons around to exploit perceived matchup advantages and Dan Quinn also has a very talented interior player in Osa Odighizuwa at his disposal so Steen's likely trial by fire won't be an easy one.
"I mean obviously [Parsons is] a really good player and we been working," Steen said. "The guys -- I mean I haven't -- but we have a lot of guys that played against him before so obviously I have insights and stuff like that and I think the coaching staff has been doing a great job on just helping us be prepared for him and the defense."
