It’s the age old theory — you get what you pay for — and it couldn’t be more true for the Philadelphia Eagles offensive line.
With the exception of the 2020 season, the Eagles’ OL has consistently been one of the best in the NFL. Over the last five seasons (again, with the exception of 2020), they have ranked within the top-five, creating an unstoppable presence.
- 2017 — Rank: 1
- 2018 — Rank: 5
- 2019 — Rank: 1
- 2020 — Rank: 19
- 2021 — Rank: 4
The investment Philadelphia has made in these players is remarkable, but has undoubtedly paid off. This year, the Eagles will spend $80 million on their offensive line — more money than any other team across the league.
MONEY TALKS: COST OF EAGLES OFFENSIVE LINE DIRECTLY LINKED TO THEIR SUCCESS
Philadelphia’s five O-line starters make up $55.4 million of the Eagles’ $80 million payout.
- Lane Johnson — $18 million APY
- Jordan Mailata — $16 million APY
- Jason Kelce — $14 million APY
- Isaac Seumalo — $5.3 million APY
- Landon Dickerson — $2.1 million APY
And, if those numbers weren’t crazy enough, the Eagles spend more than $20 million compared to any other teams’ offensive lines in the league. However, it’s certainly paid off because Philadelphia has the highest pass protection metric in the NFL.
Ben Baldwin from The Athletic created a chart illustrating the best valued offensive line. It combines a team’s projected pass protection metric and the total money they spend per year.
Re-posting after fixing a couple issues with the contract data pic.twitter.com/5J6msl5HjW
— Computer Cowboy (@benbbaldwin) May 11, 2022
Philadelphia’s five offensive line starters have been with the Eagles for a combined 30 seasons. In 2021, the Eagles allowed just 32 sacks with the O-line responsible for 12 of them in 17 games. The team also has former first-round pick Andre Dillard who improved in 2021, and a number of young promising players in Sua Opeta, Jack Driscoll and Cam Jurgens.
CONTINUED SUCCESS FOR 2022
This upcoming season, the Eagles are expected to continue their dominating trend and have the best offensive line. According to Mike Renner of Pro Football Focus, Philadelphia ranked first, followed by the Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Green Bay Packers.
The best offensive lines in the league per @PFF_Mike 💪 pic.twitter.com/BqyV9rsR3Y
— PFF (@PFF) May 28, 2022
Much of the line’s success can be attributed to offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland. The Eagles hired him in 2013 under coach Chip Kelly. After Philadelphia’s Super Bowl win in 2018, Stoutland was then given an additional role as run game coordinator. Even after all of his success with the Eagles’ offensive line, “Stout” believes they can be better.
Following the 2021 season, he stated, “Well, I think there’s room for improvement. I think they’ve done a nice job and, most importantly, I really believe that if everyday of each week, every player can get that much better and you stack those days and those weeks on top of each other collectively, as a group, I think you’re going to see some really great things.”
The players also believe he has made quite the impact on the O-line.
Left tackle Jordan Mailata stated, “With Stout, of course, I wouldn’t be here. Everyday, he’s on me, and he’s urging me to improve muse and push myself. I know it comes from his lover for all of us, and I also know that we would do anything for him.”
Jordan Mailata, along with Landon Dickerson occupied the left side in 2021. The duo allowed the Eagles to average 5.7 yards per carry. They also had 65 explosive runs in the area where both Mailata and Dickerson operated.
There will be some unknowns as Seumalo returns to the field after a season-ending injury last year. Originally taking over the left side, Seumalo may shift to the right — a position he hasn’t spent significant time in since 2016.
No matter what the line-up, an overwhelming amount of confidence lies within this group. If the Eagles offensive line can remain as solid as they have been, Philadelphia should be one of the top teams in the league this season.
