Every week here at Bleeding Greene Nation we are doing an NFL Draft mailbag (send your questions to BGDMailbag@Gmail.com). If you have questions about prospects, strategies and needs; feel free to send them along!
This week we got one great question from Joshua Ameible:
“So I’m concerned about Jason Kelce retiring and the Eagles being left without a solution. Are there any offensive linemen in this year’s draft who the Birds could target in later rounds?”
It is not a secret that Jason Kelce mulled retirement last offseason, which tends to put the scare in fans on a season to season basis. Kelce is an all-time Eagle and absolutely crucial to the offense, so losing him would be devastating on and off the field.
There is one first round center prospect in Tyler Biadasz who would obviously be an outstanding heir to Kelce. Biadasz is a very good athlete who was consistently dependable for Wisconsin over a long college career. However spending a first round pick on an offensive lineman who won’t start immediately (for the second year in a row) is a tough sell considering the offense has other pressing needs. If Kelce suddenly unexpectedly retires, however, it might be a consideration.
The more likely avenue is drafting someone in the mid or late rounds to groom behind the perennial All-Pro. Oregon’s Jake Hanson and Temple’s Matt Hennessy both come to mind as athletic, technically skilled centers who could grow into very solid starters under the Eagles’ tutelage. Hennessy in particular had a very nice combine and might end up going in the first 75 picks.
Nick Harris is another name worth considering. The undersized Washington product has health concerns, but he was a high impact blocker and good athlete. Harris might provide some value in the late rounds.
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