Jason Kelce's Retirement Already Crushing Eagles' Offensive Line

The Eagles' offensive line is already suffering the unfortunate consequences of losing legendary center Jason Kelce.

Recent reports suggest the interior offensive line struggled against the New England Patriots, indicating Philadelphia doesn't yet have a replacement for the legendary center who retired this offseason.

Few expected the organization to adequately replace a player of Kelce's level, though it sounds like the Eagles are in a worse position than previously thought given the high-quality offensive players still on the roster.

Eagles Rumors: Philadelphia's Interior Offensive Line a Huge Issue at Camp

There was a general expectation that the Eagles' offensive line would suffer a downgrade after Kelce's departure, though even the most pessimistic of fans might not have seen this coming.

As Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer explains, "The Eagles’ run game was a mixed bag...There wasn’t much of Hurts in the plus-one quarterback run game...I watched the Eagles O-line in one-on-ones and had them with 13 wins vs. 11 losses and 16 draws."

Considering the Eagles had the undisputed best offensive line in the NFL prior to Kelce's retirement, this is bad news. Jalen Hurts became one of the best quarterbacks in the league due to his ability in short-yardage situations.

If he no longer can achieve that same level of dominance, Philadelphia's offense faces questions. AJ Brown and Devonta Smith remain among the conference's best receivers, while Saquon Barkley adds a dynamic element to the offense. Regardless, Hurts is the heart and soul of this team.

As it turns out, maybe Kelce was the driver behind the little engine that could after all.

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