Offensive line play may force Eagles to rethink offseason plans

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If you asked me a month ago what the Eagles’ biggest offseason needs were, offensive line would have been near the top. Maybe at the top.

The Eagles were sputtering along on offense. Carson Wentz was taking too many hits. The running was inconsistent. Jason Peters looked old. Isaac Seumalo was shaky. Lane Johnson and Jason Kelce were hobbling around.

Here we are a month later, and so much has changed.

Sacks are down. Hits on the quarterback are down. Points are up. The Eagles have won three of their last four games and elbowed their way back into the playoff race, and the offensive line is one of the big reasons why.

They’re back mauling people.

The Eagles averaged 21 points the first 10 games and that’s up to 27 the last four. They allowed 31 sacks the first 10 games. Just five the last four.

Sunday was the best day of the year for the O-line.

They took on an exceptional Rams defensive front and manhandled them. Aaron Donald and Ndamukong Suh were essentially non-factors. Nick Foles dropped back 31 times and was hit a few times but never sacked. The Eagles will need that same sort of effort Sunday against J.J. Watt and Jadeveon Clowney.

Johnson and Kelce look healthy again and back to their usual dominating selves. Brandon Brooks has been the best guard in the NFL and is deservedly a Pro Bowler for a second straight year.

Seumalo had calmed down and was playing at a high level when he got hurt in Dallas. Steve Wisniewski, like he did the first month of the season, has given the Eagles solid play at left guard since Seumalo got hurt.

Which takes us to Jason Peters.

Not too long ago there was a general sense that this was it for J.P. His final year as the Eagles’ left tackle.

He’ll be 35 in a few weeks, he’s in his 15th season and for a while there he couldn’t get through a game. He left the Buccaneers game, the first Giants game and the Jaguars game early with injuries and when he did play it wasn’t the Jason Peters we've gotten used to.

Then a funny thing happened. J.P. started playing more consistently. And other than a handful of snaps — five against the Redskins, three against the Rams — he’s been out there every play for the last six games.

He’s not quite the Jason Peters of yore. But he’s played well enough down the stretch to wonder if the Eagles can bring him back for another year.

He’s due $7.75 million with a $10.7 million cap hit, which sounds like a lot but according to spotrac.com makes him the 15th-highest-paid left tackle in the NFL for 2019.

The Eagles could cut Peters and save $8 million under their 2019 cap, and I think until recently we kind of assumed that would happen.

Honor him at halftime next year and then off to Canton.

Not so fast.

Peters has played well enough to earn another year. Peters at 85 percent is still better than most people. It’s still better than Big V, who was very good last year but may have played himself out of the Eagles’ plans this year.

It’s important to remember that like Carson Wentz, Peters played this year coming off a serious knee injury. So it shouldn’t be surprising that he’s played better and better as the one-year anniversary of that injury has passed.

It’s important for NFL general managers not to make too much of a small sample size late in the season. Howie Roseman needs to take a long look at Peters and feel confident that what he’s giving the Eagles now he can deliver for one more full season.

The Eagles have a ton of needs. Outside speed. A lead running back. Athleticism at linebacker. Youth on the defensive line. Maybe a safety.

If they decide to keep Peters for another year, that’s one less need to worry about in the draft and free agency.

When next year starts, Peters will be 35, Kelce 31, Brooks 30 and Johnson 29.  

At some point soon, the Eagles will have to address the offensive line. But if that doesn't happen this offseason? I'm OK with that.

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