July 09, 2024
Over the next couple of weeks (basically whenever there isn't other news to cover), we'll take a look at every player on the Philadelphia Eagles' roster, and how they fit with the team heading into training camp. Today we'll look at the centers.
Previous training camp previews
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end
Offensive tackle | Guard
The depth chart:
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Cam Jurgens | Matt Hennessy | Dylan McMahon | Brett Toth |
After playing just 34 snaps as a rookie in 2022 while serving as an apprentice under Jason Kelce, Jurgens added some weight and became the starting RG in 2023 after Isaac Seumalo left in free agency to play for the Steelers. He was a bit of a downgrade from Seumalo, which was probably to be expected. Still, he was solid enough, as PFF had him down for zero sacks allowed and zero penalties.
In the wake of Kelce's retirement, Jurgens will move back to his primary position at center. He'll have the advantage of having understudied for a year and then playing next to Kelce at RG in 2023. No slight to Jurgens here, but there is going to be a dropoff in play at center. It's just a matter of how much, and in what ways. It's silly to expect anything else.
There'd probably be a lot more excitement for Jurgens and his skill set if he weren't replacing one of the best centers in NFL history. The fan base should probably be patient with him, but, we'll see.
Hennessy was a Falcons third-round pick in 2020, and he understudied as a rookie under Alex Mack. He became the starting center in 2021, starting every game, but he moved to LG in 2022 and suffered a knee injury that cost him six games. In 2023 he re-aggravated that knee injury and missed the entirety of the season. He has appeared in 41 career games, with 22 starts. His snap counts, by season:
| Year | LG | C | RG |
| 2020 | 75 | 150 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 | 988 | 0 |
| 2022 | 157 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Hennessy is a product of Temple, and was a popular mid-round projection to the Eagles prior to the 2020 NFL Draft. He could be in the mix of players competing for the starting RG spot, but he's currently behind Tyler Steen and Mekhi Becton in that pursuit currently, and he'll have to prove that he can stay healthy just to make the initial 53.
McMahon played at C, LG, and RG during his college career, but at 6'3, 299, with sub-32" arms, his most ideal fit is at center. He was a four-year starter at NC State and he has some explosiveness in his lower half.
McMahon has good agility, but the Eagles will likely look to get him to bulk up a bit in the weight room so he isn't overwhelmed by hulking NFL defensive tackles. A little taste of his game:
He'll be given time to grow behind Jurgens and others.
The Eagles gave Toth a chance to widen his versatility by playing him at center during training camp last year, but he simply couldn't snap in shotgun and was demoted to third team LG.
Toth has been on the Eagles roster in some fashion every year since 2019 with stops in between in Arizona and Carolina. He actually appeared in three games for the Panthers last season, and started one.
Carolina cut him soon after his one start, and the Eagles added him back to their practice squad. In spring practices, the Eagles had Toth back at center. He presumably worked on his snapping during the offseason.
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