The Philadelphia Eagles have a massive hole in their offensive line after Mekhi Becton signed with the Los Angeles Chargers. The 6-foot-7, 363-pound guard revived his career in Philadelphia after a failed stint with the New York Jets to begin his career and was rewarded handsomely with a two-year, $20 million contract.
Becton isn’t the first Eagle to leave this offseason. Fellow Super Bowl stars Milton Williams and Josh Sweat have also departed in free agency but it’s general manager Howie Roseman’s job to figure out what’s next.
The Eagles appear to have answers for the departures on the defensive line, with Jalyx Hunt and Moro Ojomo ticketed for bigger roles. But the Eagles may have lucked into a solution with a former divisional foe who could be coming out of retirement.
Saahdiq Charles Could Be Help Eagles Replace Mekhi Becton
NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reports that Saahdiq Charles is coming out of retirement and will be available to sign with teams after his expected release from the Tennessee Titans. Charles was a fourth-round pick by the Commanders in 2020 and was in line to start for the Titans after signing with them last offseason but decided he was done with football and was placed on the reserve/retired list during training camp.
There are several parallels that could make Charles a target for the Eagles. Like Becton, Charles started his career as an offensive tackle after starting on LSU’s national championship team in 2019 but was moved to guard early in his career. He posted a 67.6 overall grade and 79.2 run-blocking grade, according to Pro Football Focus in 2021, but dealt with injuries that prevented him from taking a starting job.
The opportunity to start for Tennessee may not have been enticing for Charles to continue. But the Eagles present a different situation. Eagles' offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland is one of the most respected assistants in football and Charles already has experience at guard, which could help him plug the massive hole in Philadelphia’s offensive line.
For a group that fuels one of the league’s top rushing attacks, adding Charles could be a move that helps them weather the storm. It will be interesting to see if Roseman makes the call or finds another player in the draft or free agency to fill that void.