Usually, winning a Super Bowl cures all off-field drama. The fact that the Philadelphia Eagles were so quick to trade C.J. Gardner-Johnson after he contributed to the championship run spoke volumes, and it's already looking like shipping him off was the right move. But every trade has two sides, and Gardner-Johnson is certainly talented enough that fans were expecting a solid return in the deal.
That made it a bit of a head-scratcher when the main return in the trade with the Houston Texans was right guard Kenyon Green — an apparent draft bust whom Texans fans were happy to get rid of. But Howie Roseman has earned the benefit of the doubt, and Philly fans were willing to be patient.
The latest update from OTAs is a worrying one though, and has some fans regretting the trade already.
Kenyon Green Serving as a Backup at Eagles OTAs
Green is getting his first reps with the Eagles as OTAs get underway this week, but he is not lining up with the starting offensive line. Instead, third-year lineman Tyler Steen has lined up with the ones while Green runs with the second team. But this is just OTAs, right? How much can this mean for Green's 2025 outlook? This being our first clue makes it significant, and is worth a deeper look.
Steen may just be getting the benefit of the doubt as a returning player. Teams do this with rookies all the time — opening OTAs with a veteran getting first-team reps even though the rookie is almost certain to end up as the starter before Week 1. So perhaps it's all about seniority with the team.
But when you consider Green's background, it's hard to imagine this is something so simple. Let's look at Green's disappointing pro career so far, as well as how he matches up against Steen.
Is Kenyon Green Officially a Bust?
The Texans selected Green No. 15 overall in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Having excelled as both a guard and a tackle in college while playing against SEC competition at Texas A&M, he seemed like an incredibly safe pick.
His rookie year was an unmitigated disaster, however. PFF graded him out at just 37.7 on the year, ranking 132nd among 140 guards. And things haven't been much better since then:
- 2022: 37.7 grade (#132 of 140 guards)
- 2023: Did not play (knee injury)
- 2024: 38.6 grade (#132 of 136 guards)
Whether you want to blame Green himself, his injuries or the Texans' coaching staff, he obviously hasn't come close to living up to his first-round draft status. This performance would be disappointing for a third-round pick, let alone a guy who went top-20.
The Eagles, understandably, declined the fifth-year option on Green's rookie contract when he came over, meaning this is the last season on his deal. Unless they planned on having him be a total throwaway in this trade, surely there was some hope in the building that they could be the team to unlock his potential. And in their defense, if any coaching staff can get the most out of an o-lineman, it's Philly's.
Even if you don't want to call Green a definite bust yet, it's hard to argue that this wouldn't be an all-time reclamation project if he did contribute to Philly.
Is Tyler Steen the Answer?
Steen was drafted one year after Green, selected by the Eagles in the third round (65 overall) of the 2025 NFL Draft after starting 13 games and earning second-team All-SEC honors at Alabama in 2022.
With guard-tackle versatility like Green, Steen has appeared in 28 games, making three starts across his first two seasons with the Eagles. Having only played 71 offensive snaps as a rookie and 316 in 2024, it's hard to make a definitive judgement about his play, but here are his PFF grades to compare with Green's:
- 2023: 53.2 grade (#91 of 136 guards)
- 2024: 40.6 grade (#131 of 136 guards)
Not pretty — especially for a guy who has had the benefit of the elite coaching and incredible veteran leadership that the Eagles have to offer.
Fans don't want to see Steen in the starting lineup, and hopes have been that Green's potential will be unlocked and he'll get the starting job.
It's far too early to make a definitive call on who will (or who should) be the starter this season, but the fact that the Eagles don't see Green as the definite answer raises some real question marks around the Gardner-Johnson trade.