It's been an eventful few months for the Philadelphia Eagles, fresh off a Super Bowl win propelled by outstanding play in the trenches. This is a team well-positioned to make another run, and general manager Howie Roseman has done a great job of identifying quality players to inspire competition.
Since play in the trenches was so important, one of the key position battles to watch has been right guard. Mekhi Becton was the starter in 2024, but with him now with the Los Angeles Chargers, someone new will hold the post for what may be the NFL's best offensive line.
There was expected to be a fierce competition, though one player has clearly taken the early lead.
Year 3 of Tyler Steen. pic.twitter.com/ehCbdE8H2n
— cayden steele (@cayden_steele19) June 10, 2025
Eagles RG Tyler Steen Has Inside Track to Starting Job
As pointed out by Eagles insider Jimmy Kempski of PhillyVoice, Steen looks like the starter at right guard.
"It is anticipated that Steen will have to fend off guys like Kenyon Green, Matt Pryor, Darian Kinnard, and Trevor Keegan for the starting RG spot this summer," Kempski wrote. "But in the spring, he exclusively got all the reps at RG, at least in the media-attended practices. That starting spot is his to lose."
That makes sense, as Steen was originally a third-round pick out of Alabama in the 2023 NFL Draft. However, his performance in limited snaps in 2024 left a lot to be desired. He ranked 131st out of 135 qualified guards at Pro Football Focus, posting a dreadful 37.7 pass block grade.
The Eagles' coaching staff deserves the benefit of the doubt, though, and the organization was comfortable enough with Steen to let Becton go. It's a risky move, yet it appears that Steen has improved and is ready for a big role.
It remains to be seen if that's actually true, though Philadelphia is banking on it. If Steen can't hold down the job and play effectively, one of the Eagles' biggest strengths will be damaged as they try to repeat.