Jason Kelce, also known as the brother to Travis Kelce and potentially Tim Burton’s favorite football player (given Jason’s prior majestic hair color), has been breaking the will of opponents in the NFL since he was drafted by Philly in the sixth round of the 2011 draft. Kelce lifted on in 2014 by recording his first Pro Bowl berth. He would also garner a PB nod in the year that Muhammad Ali passed away (2016).

Kelce was flat-out a bully in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2021 by ousting first-team All-Pro honors in each of those seasons. I sincerely agree with Kelce in that he was a snub by the 2010s all-decade team. Nonetheless, it’s widely regarded that he’s been one of the best centers over the past decade. With that said, there is a fascinating, pivotal question surrounding the Eagles C: Is Kelce a future Hall of Famer?

I absolutely foresee Kelce being cast into football heaven. Per NBC Sports, the ten centers not named Jason Kelce that have earned four All-Pro honors are in the Hall of Fame. Let’s not forget that Kelce also possesses a pivotal Super Bowl ring.

He has been a true Iron Man figure for the Eagles – as he hasn’t missed a single contest since 2014. Kelce may be 34, but he is still fighting at a high level (PFF has given him a 77 grade this season). He is also playing on the only undefeated team left this season. His QB Jalen Hurts is having a career season by way of 1,325 total yards and 8 total touchdowns to 2 ints. Hence, he could realistically win another Lombardi trophy and jolt his case of becoming a first-ballot HOFer in the future.

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By: Jake Rajala

The Philadelphia Eagles may have the polarizing and ascending Jalen Hurts w/ new, threatening weapons in A.J. Brown and Kenneth Gainwell, but they still need their beloved OL to hold their end of the bargain. The projected OL starters in 2022 are LT Jordan Mailata, LG Landon Dickerson, C Jason Kelce, RG Isaac Seumalo, and RT Lane Johnson.

Their top dogs are unequivocally Mailita, Johnson, and Kelce. Mailata had a very superb 87.4 grade by PFF last season – as he only allowed a few sacks. He signed a contract extension worth $64 million through 2025. PFF revealed that Mailata’s contract was number one atop their list of best NFL contracts.

Unfortunately, the three-time Pro Bowl selection has been victim to the injury bug far too often as of late. He missed four games last season and nine contests the season prior. Johnson garnered an 82.4 grade by PFF last season (as he allowed zero sacks). Kelce, also known as one of the “extroverted Kelces” in the NFL, has been an All-Pro center in four of his five past seasons. He’s also been a Super Man-like player – as he hasn’t missed a game since 2014.

Dickerson was a second-round pick by Philly in the 2021 NFL Draft. He had growing pains in his rookie season (as he notched a 67.3 grade by PFF), but he should improve and be the x-factor on the Eagles OL in 2022. Seumalo is a modest guard, but he has had significant injury issues in his career. He missed 14 games last season – after missing seven games in 2020. He will be a FA after this season, so the Eagles may look for his replacement in the 2023 NFL Draft.

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Jacob Keppen

The Eagles are in a situation unusual for the team, a rebuild. For a club that has been a competitive team for most of the past two decades, the Eagles are coming off of one of the worst seasons in recent memory. The previous window has closed, and a new one is being built. A lot of the old guard have already been moved on from, but there are a few remnants of that 2017 team still hanging around”¦ but for how much longer though with the team starting to shift into the new Nick Sirianni era. Here are three Philadelphia Eagles that may be playing their last season of football in Philadelphia.

Zach Ertz

This entry comes with a bit of a caveat. There’s a very good shot that last season was Ertz’s last season in a Philadelphia uniform. Just a short while ago, the idea of Ertz leaving the city seemed impossible. Ertz was Philadelphia’s top weapon and the go-to target on the offense. Ertz’s best season came in 2018 when he caught 116 passes for 1163 yards and 8 touchdowns. A lot has changed since then though.

The writing has seemingly been on the wall regarding Zach Ertz’s status in Philadelphia for nearly half a year now. A contract dispute before the 2020 season put the tight end’s future in Philly in question, those questions growing larger after an extremely lackluster season. It sure sounded like Ertz was leaving after the season, with one of Philly’s best pass catchers delivering a tear-filled message to the fanbase after the final game of the 2020 season. Yet with training camp arriving, Ertz is still on the team. It will be interesting to see how the Ertz situation plays out, but don’t be surprised when Zach Ertz is playing for a new team in 2022.

Derek Barnett

The Eagles are in a very tricky situation with their former first-round pick. Barnett, Philadelphia’s 14th overall pick in the 2017 draft in their own city, hasn’t quite lived up to lofty expectations so far. He hasn’t nearly been a bad player, carving out a role as a solid all-around defensive end, but he has yet to show anything really special through four years. Barnett has been solidly consistently rushing the passer, gaining at least 5 sacks in three of his four seasons (the one in which he didn’t he only played 6 games) but he hasn’t posted a spectacular season, his season high in sacks being only 6.5.

Barnett has largely been the same player throughout his tenure with Philadelphia: a not bad but not great defensive end. Barnett’s backup Josh Sweat meanwhile has improved every year, even gaining more sacks than Barnett last year. With Barnett’s contract coming to an end after this season, a season in which he’s earning 10 million dollars, and with the emergence of a slightly more dynamic Josh Sweat, whether or not Derek Barnett returns to the Eagles next season will largely be based on his 2021 performance.

Jason Kelce

Nothing in football lasts forever. Eventually, everyone retires, and that retirement is coming very soon for star center Jason Kelce. Many expected Kelce to retire before this season, but the potential future Hall of Famer is back in Philly. Kelce has been one of the best players of the 2010s for the Eagles, earning three first-team all-pro selections. He’s one of the best linemen of his generation and will go down as an Eagles legend. 

All good things in football eventually come to an end though. Kelce is 33, soon to be 34, and has been battling retirement over the past few years since the Super Bowl victory. Kelce has battled and played through injuries over the past few years, so it would not be surprising if the four-time pro bowler called it a career after this season. Kelce retiring this season isn’t nearly as foregone of a conclusion as Zach Ertz leaving after this season though. With everything he has done for the franchise over the years, as well as the great level of play and toughness he still gives you every week currently, the decision is all in Kelce’s hands. He’s earned the right to decide his future.

The post Three Philadelphia Eagles who could be playing their last season as an Eagle appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

Many teams ask themselves this question going into each offseason and the Philadelphia Eagles certainly need to do the same. With reports thus far, it looks like the Eagles are moving in the direction of rebuilding and getting younger.

Carson Wentz appears to be good as gone, Zach Ertz is ”˜bracing for a change in scenery’ the youth movement may be starting sooner than later. Unfortunately, that may mean that 34-year-old Jason Kelce may be the next victim.

Finding a trade partner may be easier for Kelce than for other players. Kelce is still elite and has a team-friendly deal (1 year, 8.14mil). If Kelce does hit the market expects there to be many suitors.

Kansas City Chiefs

Kelce to Kansas City makes a lot of sense from both a personal and a football stand point. Kelce has ties to both Head Coach Andy Reid who drafted him and his brother Travis who is the Chiefs tight end. From a football aspect it’s a great fit too.

As we all saw in the Super Bowl Mahomes had defensive linemen in his face every single snap. Part of this was due to the injuries to Schwartz and Fisher; another part was the lack of talent on the interior of the line.

Adding a player like Kelce will give Mahomes MUCH NEEDED protection. Kelce played the second-most offensive snaps at the center position with 1126 while only allowing 10 penalties, the least in the league, and four sacks, third least, per Pro Football Focus.

Las Angeles Chargers

After center Mike Pouncey announced his retirement with his brother Maurkice, the Chargers need an anchor for their offensive line to protect young stud Justin Herbert. Insert Jason Kelce.

Kelce has experience throughout his 10-year career in Philadelphia with young quarterbacks and helping them develop.  In that 10 year span, Kelce has played with Nick Foles, Carson Wentz and Jalen Hurts when they were all rookies.

In Wentz’s second-year Kelce was vital to the 2017 success and should the Eagles move on from Kelce, the Chargers should be interested in having him fill in for Pouncey as the anchor to protect Justin Herbert.

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers were the other casualty of the Pouncey brothers retiring. Maurkice Pouncey spent his entire career with the Steelers and had a brother like bond with Ben Roethlisberger.

There was a lot of trust in that relationship both and Pittsburgh will have to find a way to replace it if the Steelers want to compete next year. This is where Jason Kelce comes into play.

Kelce hasn’t missed a game since 2014 where he played in only 12. Kelce and Roethlisberger would be able to build trust on the field very quickly.

Kelce is a tough, smart player and would be the perfect fit to retool that Steelers line with Pouncey retiring and left tackle Alejandro Villanueva being a free agent.

Retirement

While this may seem like a shock to some, it shouldn’t for most. Kelce is turning 34 and has had a 10-year career in the league. He has achieved it all in his career.

A three-time First-Team All-Pro, a four-time Pro Bowler, and a Super Bowl champion back in 2017.

For the past few seasons, Kelce has contemplated retirement even as recently as prior to the 2019 season. Instead, he did sign an extension with the Eagles to keep him under contract through 2021.

With this being the final year of the restructured deal, he may decide to hang his cleats up and ride into the sunset. If that is the case for Kelce, we can definitively say he left it all on the line every single snap of every game.

He was a true iron man of the past decade and arguably the best center in the league. 

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