Most important Eagles for 2020: Jason Kelce is the best center in football

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article_body => "Over the next four weeks, we\u2019ll be counting down the 20 most important Eagles for the 2020 season. <\/p>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/eagles\/most-important-eagles-2020-nate-sudfeld\" target=\"_blank\">20. Nate Sudfeld <\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/eagles\/most-important-eagles-2020-avonte-maddox\" target=\"_blank\">19. Avonte Maddox<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/eagles\/most-important-eagles-2020-nathan-gerry-comes-18\" target=\"_blank\">18. Nathan Gerry<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/eagles\/most-important-eagles-2020-dallas-goedert\" target=\"_blank\">17. Dallas Goedert  <\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/eagles\/most-important-eagles-2020-derek-barnett-comes-16\" target=\"_blank\">16. Derek Barnett<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/eagles\/most-important-eagles-2020-jalen-reagor-top-15\" target=\"_blank\">15. Jalen Reagor <\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/eagles\/most-important-eagles-2020-jalen-mills-takes-no-14\" target=\"_blank\">14. Jalen Mills<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/eagles\/most-important-eagles-2020-eagles-already-lost-13th-most-important-player\" target=\"_blank\">13. Brandon Brooks<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/eagles\/most-important-eagles-roster-2020-rodney-mcleod\" target=\"_blank\">12. Rodney McLeod<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/eagles\/most-important-eagles-2020-javon-hargrave-takes-no-11\" target=\"_blank\">11. Javon Hargrave<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/eagles\/most-important-eagles-2020-miles-sanders-starts-top-10\" target=\"_blank\">10. Miles Sanders <\/a>  <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/eagles\/most-important-eagles-2020-andre-dillard-has-some-big-shoes-fill\" target=\"_blank\">9. Andre Dillard<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/eagles\/most-important-eagles-2020-brandon-graham-still-high-list\">8. Brandon Graham<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/eagles\/most-important-eagles-2020-zach-ertz-still-beast\">7. Zach Ertz <\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/eagles\/eagles-roster-2020-desean-jackson-eagles-wide-receivers\" target=\"_blank\">6. DeSean Jackson <\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/eagles\/most-important-eagles-2020-lane-johnson-eagles-roster\" target=\"_blank\">5. Lane Johnson<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/eagles\/most-important-eagles-2020-secondary-darius-slay\" target=\"_blank\">4. Darius Slay<\/a><\/strong> 3. Jason Kelce<\/strong><\/p>\nYou could certainly argue that Lane Johnson is the Eagles\u2019 most important offensive lineman, but I\u2019d give the edge to Jason Kelce. <\/p>\nKelce will turn 33 during this upcoming season and he isn\u2019t going to play football forever, so the Eagles have to cherish their time with him. Kelce is going to go down as one of the greatest Eagles of all time and he\u2019s quietly putting together a Hall of Fame case. <\/p>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/eagles\/jason-kelce-nfl-all-decade-snub\" target=\"_blank\">This note from Reuben Frank back in April is pretty amazing<\/a>: Kelce is one of six centers in NFL history to make first-team all-pro three straight years, the only one to do it in the last 20 years. All the others are Hall of Famers.<\/p>\nHe has been an All-Pro in each of the last three seasons and has also been a Pro Bowler three times. Kelce hasn\u2019t missed a game since 2014 and he didn\u2019t miss a single snap in 2019. He also managed to stay much healthier in 2019 than he was in 2018 and was an All-Pro and a Pro Bowler in the same year for the first time in his career. Even though he was snubbed for the All-Decade team of the 2010s, he\u2019s widely considered the best center in the NFL. <\/p>\nAgain in 2019, Kelce was ProFootballFocus\u2019s top rated center for the third straight season. <\/p>\nThe center position is so important even at its most basic level. Kelce was of course the only offensive player to touch the ball on every offensive play last season. And the role he\u2019s had in the development of Carson Wentz shouldn\u2019t be overlooked.<\/p>\nSubscribe and rate the Eagle Eye podcast: <\/strong><\/p>\n<a data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/roob-knows\/id1376641140?mt%3D2&source=gmail&ust=1553873892725000&usg=AFQjCNEGQolxRDcKocK-uwOl_B2tNDnK8A\" href=\"https:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/roob-knows\/id1376641140?mt=2\" target=\"_blank\">Apple Podcasts<\/a> \/ <a data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/play.google.com\/music\/listen%23\/ps\/Irihfctcpfeh635rf5ii7m25jzm&source=gmail&ust=1553873892725000&usg=AFQjCNE0prPfQOeHWd4orf9GPBupPSA70w\" href=\"https:\/\/play.google.com\/music\/listen#\/ps\/Irihfctcpfeh635rf5ii7m25jzm\" target=\"_blank\">Google Play<\/a> \/ <a data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.stitcher.com\/podcast\/nbc-sports-philadelphia\/roob-knows&source=gmail&ust=1553873892725000&usg=AFQjCNGYa9L39MPyznuFpvrpgOgGXUIyAQ\" href=\"https:\/\/www.stitcher.com\/podcast\/nbc-sports-philadelphia\/roob-knows\" target=\"_blank\">Stitcher<\/a> \/ <a data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/7efTly7UOHBSf8PKhqUmYC&source=gmail&ust=1553873892725000&usg=AFQjCNHD74GPcAspcDWzxLE3NduiyS0hFA\" href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/7efTly7UOHBSf8PKhqUmYC\" target=\"_blank\">Spotify<\/a> \/ <a data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/art19.com\/shows\/eagle-eye-philadelphia-eagles&source=gmail&ust=1553873892725000&usg=AFQjCNEzbIQQHnWqBNcRevnC9BBdTmih5A\" href=\"https:\/\/art19.com\/shows\/eagle-eye-philadelphia-eagles\" target=\"_blank\">Art19<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/art19.com\/shows\/eagle-eye-philadelphia-eagles\/episodes\/fdfe42b4-e8d0-4d37-801e-ecfab6d94e53\/embed\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 200px; border: 0 none;\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe> \n<a href=\"https:\/\/smart.link\/5bb788a3d5b83?site_id=Web_NBCS_Philly&creative_id=nbcsphi1356&cp_4=www.nbcsports.com&cp_1=washington&cp_2=myteams-nbc-sports&cp_3=nbcsphi1356\">Click here<\/a> to download the MyTeams App by NBC Sports! Receive comprehensive coverage of your teams and stream the Flyers, Sixers and Phillies games easily on your device.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<h2 dir=\"ltr\">More on the Eagles<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/eagles\/eagles-all-time-team-donovan-mcnabb-quarterback-nick-foles-randall-cunningham-carson-wentz\">Kicking off our voting for the Eagles all-time team at QB<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/eagles\/eagles-offseason-wide-receivers-jalen-reagor-desean-jackson-alshon-jeffery\">Have Eagles really done enough to fix wide receiver position? <\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/eagles\/sidney-jones-2020-eagles-season\">A lost opportunity for Sidney Jones in Roob\u2019s 10 random observations <\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/eagles\/chip-kelly-smartest-moves-eagles-lane-johnson-duce-staley-jeff-stoutland\">Chip Kelly\u2019s 10 smartest moves with Eagles<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/eagles\/most-important-eagles-2020-lane-johnson-eagles-roster\">This offensive lineman is now especially invaluable to the Eagles <\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n"
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Eagles

Over the next four weeks, we’ll be counting down the 20 most important Eagles for the 2020 season.

20. Nate Sudfeld
19. Avonte Maddox
18. Nathan Gerry
17. Dallas Goedert
16. Derek Barnett
15. Jalen Reagor
14. Jalen Mills
13. Brandon Brooks
12. Rodney McLeod
11. Javon Hargrave
10. Miles Sanders
9. Andre Dillard
8. Brandon Graham
7. Zach Ertz
6. DeSean Jackson
5. Lane Johnson
4. Darius Slay
3. Jason Kelce

You could certainly argue that Lane Johnson is the Eagles’ most important offensive lineman, but I’d give the edge to Jason Kelce.

Kelce will turn 33 during this upcoming season and he isn’t going to play football forever, so the Eagles have to cherish their time with him. Kelce is going to go down as one of the greatest Eagles of all time and he’s quietly putting together a Hall of Fame case.

This note from Reuben Frank back in April is pretty amazing: Kelce is one of six centers in NFL history to make first-team all-pro three straight years, the only one to do it in the last 20 years. All the others are Hall of Famers.

He has been an All-Pro in each of the last three seasons and has also been a Pro Bowler three times. Kelce hasn’t missed a game since 2014 and he didn’t miss a single snap in 2019. He also managed to stay much healthier in 2019 than he was in 2018 and was an All-Pro and a Pro Bowler in the same year for the first time in his career. Even though he was snubbed for the All-Decade team of the 2010s, he’s widely considered the best center in the NFL.

Again in 2019, Kelce was ProFootballFocus’s top rated center for the third straight season.

The center position is so important even at its most basic level. Kelce was of course the only offensive player to touch the ball on every offensive play last season. And the role he’s had in the development of Carson Wentz shouldn’t be overlooked.

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