Eagles Position Battle Takes Turn After Surprise Injury

Philadelphia Eagles training camp is officially underway, giving the team about a month to assess their roster and make possible changes ahead of Week 1. One position Philadelphia needs to figure out is right guard, as former starter Cam Jurgens has transitioned over to fill Jason Kelce's void at center, which's created a hole of its own.

Recent third-round pick Tyler Steen entered camp as the likely favorite to win this competition, but a sudden injury development could change things.

Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inqurier reported on Sunday that Steen has suffered a "mild" ankle injury and could miss "the next few days." The Alabama product went down on Saturday, with roster hopeful Darian Kinnard taking his place, according to McLane.

Now, a couple of days won't derail Steen significantly in this race. But it does open the door for guys behind him to share first-time reps (which Steen has primarily received to this point) and make an impression on the coaching staff.

It's no surprise Steen is the frontrunner for this job at the moment. Philadelphia invested notable draft captial in him last year by taking the ex-Tide standout in the third round, and he then suited up in 11 games (with a lone start) as a rookie.

That experience in this system and with this offensive line provides a clear runway to success, while new arrivals like Kinnard and Mekhi Becton are both just trying to settle in. The latter two are both just trying to prove they should stick around in the NFL as well, so Steen has the edge as a promising young player.

All that being said, the Eagles are well aware of how injuries can change plans in a hurry. As a result, they'd be smart to see what talent they have behind Steen in case the 6-foot-6 lineman needs a few days to get right.

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