It’s not nearly as sexy as quarterback speculation, but the Eagles may have a real problem protecting that quarterback next season.
As noted by Paul Domowitch of the Philadelphia Daily News, the Eagles could be looking for replacements for 60 percent of their offensive line heading into next year’s opener.
Pro Bowl right guard Brandon Brooks tore his Achilles, center Jason Kelce is pondering retirement, and left tackle Jason Peters might have reached the age where he’s no longer worth the money.
But Doug Pederson wasn’t ready to start freaking out in the aftermath of their playoff exit.
“Moving forward, very comfortable,’’ Pederson said. “Our offensive line was one of the top offensive lines in the National Football League. Brandon’s injury, how it happened and when it happened, was unfortunate.
“I’m not going to get into a lot of specifics with [the status of] each guy. But we’d obviously like to have them all back. The more guys up front you can keep together, it’s great for your quarterback. It’s great for your running back. It’s good for your offense in general.’’
Peters has been one of the best at his position, but he’s turning 37 next week and has a $10.7 million cap number. He also missed the fourth quarter of Sunday’s loss to the Saints with a back injury, and was replaced by Halapoulivaati Vaitai.
Kelce has hinted at retirement in the past, but he’s 31 and is still playing at a high level.
The Eagles have some young players they like (including rugby conversion Jordan Mailata), but having a high degree of uncertainty up front is only comfortable if you’re worried about bigger things.