He’s baaaaaaack!! (Thankfully)

The Philadelphia Eagles are facing a lot of tough losses with NFL free agency getting underway, but one guy they don’t have to worry about walking away just yet is veteran center, Philly legend, Jason Kelce.

Sure, the Eagles have a very exciting and qualified next man up in Cam Jurgens, but there’s really no replacement for the type of player that Kelce is, on and off the field. He’s the anchor of the offensive line, one of the most physically impressive centers in the league, and someone you’d hope could play until he’s 50 — he won’t, but it would be great if he could.

Kelce has explained several times over the past few years that he likes to take some time at the end of the season to evaluate how his body is feeling and recovering, how he feels about the game, and doesn’t ever rush into a decision about whether or not he’s retiring. The center knows it’s coming sooner rather than later, but at least that’s not the reality for 2023.

The Eagles are now getting back at least three of the four players who have been with the team 10 years or more — Brandon Graham re-signed to a very team-friendly deal just to play in Philly for one more year, and Lane Johnson is under contract until 2025. There’s been reports that Fletcher Cox won’t be back after his one-year deal last season. Still, three out of four pillars on both sides of the ball isn’t too bad.

Kelce’s return means the Eagles will retain at least four of their five starting offensive linemen:

Left tackle — Jordan Mailata
Left guard — Landon Dickerson
Center — Jason Kelce
Right guard — ?
Right tackle — Lane Johnson

With Isaac Seumalo potentially set to leave in free agency, it looks like Jurgens could be playing next to Kelce at guard in 2023.