2009 Offensive Line Analysis - Philadelphia Eagles

2009 Projected Starters:
Left Tackle: Jason Peters
Left Guard: Todd Herremans
Center: Jamaal Jackson
Right Guard: Stacy Andrews
Right Tackle: Shawn Andrews

2008 Injuries:
Shawn Andrews: Week 3 to 17

2008 Statistics:

ALY (Adjusted Line Yards): It is an alternate measure for yards per carry developed by Football Outsiders that takes into account various factors including down, distance, situation and opponent.
Source: www.footballoutsiders.com

Overview:
The Philadelphia Eagles managed to allow only 23 sacks in 2008 after allowing 49 in the previous season. Their running game was however a disappointment averaging only 4.0 yards per carry compared to the 4.7 and 4.8 in the two previous seasons. However, all of that needs to be re-evaluated this season with two new players coming in and the return of Shawn Andrews.

At tackle, the Eagles will be replacing the aging Tra Thomas and Jon Runyan with a pair of Pro Bowlers: 27-year old Jason Peters and 26-year old Shawn Andrews. Peters is a two-time Pro Bowler despite ranking last amongst left tackles in 2008 with 11.5 sacks allowed. The Eagles acquired Peters from the Bills and signed him to a 6-year deal for 60 million dollars which should please Peters and make him focus on his game again. He is the same player that allowed only two sacks in 2006 and there is no reason why he can’t perform like he did in 2006 now that he has a new team and a new contract. Overall, Peters is an excellent pass protecting lineman and his run blocking is above average for a starting left tackle. Starting at right tackle will be Shawn Andrews making the move from right guard to right tackle despite being a two-time Pro Bowler at the guard position. Andrews is both strong and athletic at 6’4” and 335 lbs and an asset for this line both in run blocking and pass protection. His main quality is his athleticism which allows him to pull to the outside on screen plays and he makes Westbrook even more dangerous. Andrews missed most of last season with a back injury and has been suffering of depression for the past year or so. It seems that Andrews has now gotten through that and the addition of Stacy Andrews, his older brother, and Jason Peters, his roommate at Arkansas should help him. Adding depth at tackle are Winston Justice, a former second round pick who has been disappointing in his first three seasons in the NFL, King Dunlap and 2009 fifth round pick Fenuki Tupou.

At guard, the Eagles have another young duo in Todd Herremans and Stacy Andrews. Herremans will be the starting left guard for the Eagles for a fourth consecutive season. He had a very difficult season in 2007 mainly due to a knee injury that bothered him throughout the year. Herremans underwent surgery during the team’s bye week and did not miss a single start but it was obvious that he was not at full strength. Herremans however came back strong in 2008 and had an excellent season, especially in pass protection with only 0.75 sacks allowed. He could get a little stronger in order to be more effective in run blocking but nonetheless he is still an excellent guard. On the other side is Stacy Andrews who was signed as a free agent after spending his first five seasons with the Bengals. Andrews is big at 6’7” and 340 lbs and is surprisingly mobile for his size. As a right tackle, he had a disappointing season in 2008 but it should help him to move back inside to guard. He has all the skills to be a very good player in the NFL but he definitely needs to step up his game. Max Jean-Gilles had been a backup since being drafted in the fourth round in 2006 but started 10 games last season in replacement of Andrews until he suffered an injury in week 13. He is a very powerful blocker at 6’3” and 360 lbs with excellent work ethic and he will continue to improve. The Eagles averaged 4.2 yards per carry with Jean-Gilles in the line-up so he is definitely capable of starting if required to do so again this season. Adding depth are Nick Cole who started five games last season and 24-year old Mike McGlynn.

The Eagles will start Jamaal Jackson at center for the fourth consecutive season. Jackson who was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2003 was rewarded with a seven-year deal in 2006. He has not fared very well in the past two seasons in part because of his numerous penalties but he also seemed to be unable to create much in the running game which should be his strength because of his 6’4” and 330 lbs frame. Jackson definitely has the tools to be a good center in this league but he will need to step up his game or he could receive some competition from backup Nick Cole.  

2009 Outlook:
The Eagles made big changes to their offensive line this off-season and should be much improved in 2009. Peters might be a small downgrade in pass protection compared to Thomas but he is an upgrade in run blocking, Stacy Andrews is quite similar to Runyan but he is still improving and the return of Shawn Andrews will be a big boost, especially for the running game. In terms of depth, Cole is not a big downgrade compared to Jackson at center, Jean-Gilles can step in at either guard position and Stacy Andrews can move to tackle. Overall, the Eagles line should be about as good as last year in pass protection and should be one of the best in run blocking as they were in 2007 and 2008.

See all of our 2009 Offensive Line Analysis Articles