Following the retirement of legendary center Jason Kelce this offseason, the Philadelphia Eagles knew it was time for change along the offensive line. Cam Jurgens was essentially handpicked by Kelce to be his replacement.
When Jurgens slid over from right guard to center, the plan at right guard was unclear. While second-year offensive lineman Tyler Steen was viewed as an early favorite, Mekhi Becton eventually won the battle to secure the starting job at right guard in 2024.
In Week 1, Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni was impressed with both Jurgens and Becton.
Mekhi Becton Excels at New Position in Week 1
While Jurgens returned to his natural position at center, Becton faced an entirely different challenge. After strictly playing offensive tackle at Louisville and with the New York Jets, Becton embraced a position change in Philadelphia.
When Becton signed a one-year deal with the Eagles in free agency, he understood the opportunity ahead of him. Offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland is regarded as one of the best position coaches in the entire league, which is exactly why Becton enrolled in “Stoutland University” in an attempt to revitalize his underwhelming NFL career.
Many expected Becton to fill a void at swing tackle in Philadelphia, yet he surprisingly entered the competition at right guard and didn’t let go of the starting job.
During Sirianni’s press conference on Monday, he was asked about Becton’s performance at his newfound position in Week 1.
“Mehki [Becton] is so big,” Sirianni said. “And what you saw there with Mehki on Friday night was he was controlling the guy — he was going against good players, right? That’s a good front.
“He was controlling them at the line of scrimmage, and there wasn’t a lot of pushback into Jalen [Hurts’] face because he is so big and so long that he was able to control there. So, I thought he did a really nice job, particularly in the pass game, of keeping the pocket firm inside.”
Despite playing a new position for the first time in the regular season, Becton looked at home. So much so that star running back Saquon Barkley thrived while running behind Philadelphia’s new right guard.
It’s safe to say that Mekhi Becton played well in his regular season debut at RG.
Saquon Barkley averaged 4.5 yards per carry running behind Becton in Week 1. pic.twitter.com/TSTCkvz3Ga
— Anthony DiBona (@DiBonaPFN) September 7, 2024
As Sirianni mentioned, Becton was also stout in pass protection against the Green Bay Packers. Hurts may have struggled with turnovers throughout Week 1, but it wasn’t due to poor blocking from Philadelphia’s offensive line.
According to Pro Football Focus, Becton surrendered just two total pressures on 41 pass-blocking snaps against the Packers. Considering that he spent most of the game battling with three-time Pro Bowl DL Kenny Clark, his debut was impressive.
Cam Jurgens Shows Promise as He Attempts To Fill Jason Kelce’s Shoes
Despite returning to his natural position in Week 1, Jurgens made a few mistakes at center. He and Hurts weren’t on the same page on two separate plays, causing two entirely avoidable fumbles.
While Jurgens’ mistakes overshadowed his otherwise strong performance, he showed flashes of his potential throughout the night. He allowed just one total pressure in 41 pass-blocking snaps against Green Bay, according to PFF.
Sirianni praised Jurgens’ ability to reach the second level of the defense during his press conference on Monday.
“Cam [Jurgens] had some really nice plays,” Sirianni said. “You know, Cam, there were a couple plays where Cam’s getting that initial hit, whether he’s working with Landon [Dickerson] or working with Mekhi, and then getting off to that second level.
“The one play that really comes to mind is Saquon’s touchdown run where it looks like him and Mehki are working a combination block and Cam gets that block in with him, that made-block as we call it, in with him to get him up into the second level.”
Here is a compilation of Jurgens doing his best impersonation of Kelce in Week 1:
Jason Kelce has got to be having a proud papa moment watching Cam Jurgens. 🥹
Pull your center, kids. #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/V5KHtN6kfs
— Last of the Fullbacks (@TheLastFullback) September 9, 2024
Although Jurgens showed flashes of being the next Kelce in Philadelphia, Sirianni understands there is still plenty of room for improvement — especially given the inconsistent exchanges between Hurts and Jurgens in Week 1.
“Obviously, any time you put the ball on the ground two times, there is a miscommunication there,” Sirianni said.
“We can’t put the ball on the ground two times. Cam and Jalen touched the ball on every down, so we have to make sure we’re taking care of that football.”
If the Eagles are able to solve the turnover issues, the sky is the limit behind this new-look offensive line. The interior combination of Becton and Jurgens thrived in Week 1 and should only improve as they get more comfortable next to each other.