Philadelphia Eagles: 3 thoughts on the decision to draft Landon Dickerson
By David Esser
Dickerson needs to play in 2021.
The last (and most important) point that I believe is worth making here is that Dickerson needs to see the field in 2021.
Whether it’s at center, guard, or a combination of the two spots, the Eagles shouldn’t “redshirt” their new O-Line addition like they did with Andre Dillard in 2019. Not only do the Eagles need to see if Dickerson can handle the NFL from a pure health standpoint, but they need to see if he truly has the ability to takeover for Jason Kelce following his expected retirement in 2022.
As good of a talent developer as Jeff Stoutland is, nothing can substitute the experience that is gained by seeing actual in-game action.
The Eagles don’t have an immediate spot for Dickerson on the line heading into 2021, but they shouldn’t shy away from rotating some of their veteran players out of the lineup to allow Dickerson to see some real reps. Kelce is nearing retirement as I just mentioned, and Brandon Brooks appears to be on his last legs when it comes to his standing with the Eagles organization.
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Rotating either player out on a rather consistent basis to make way for Dickerson should be a strategy that the Eagles new-look coaching staff frequently employs.