3 Reasons Brandon Brooks is Irreplaceable on Eagles' Offensive Line
By Emily Adams
Philadelphia Eagles fans have been in mourning ever since star guard Brandon Brooks announced that a torn achilles would keep him off the field for the 2020 season. Without arguably their best player, the Eagles are in a bad place this year, and we don't think anyone will be able to fill the hole Brooks is leaving on the O-line for these reasons.
3. Lack of Depth
According to head coach Doug Pederson, the Eagles are hoping to replace Brooks internally, but there's no one on the current roster that even comes close to his level of talent. Matt Pryor started when Brooks was out a couple of times last season, so he's the likely next-best-thing. Even though the former sixth-round draft pick played well last year, he simply isn't Brooks.
2. Losing Offensive Chemistry
The coronavirus pandemic is keeping teams from practicing together right now, and losing such a key piece doesn't bode well for the offensive line's on-field connection when the season rolls around. Brooks is an essential leader for the O-line, and someone will have to step up into that role. The group will be overcoming the issue of a new player in the lineup on top of the challenges already caused by socially-distant training.
1. Jason Peters
Jason Peters, who is currently a free agent, could be re-signed by the Eagles now that Brooks is out. Frankly, the Eagles should not keep Peters on the roster any longer, and he'll just be taking up cap space. The offensive tackle has been plagued by injuries that past couple of seasons, and he's simply not what he used to be. If they put Peters on the line where Brooks should have been, they'll probably have to replace him midseason, which won't be pretty.