The Philadelphia Eagles are bringing back a familiar face to provide some much-needed offensive line depth. The battle for the starting right guard spot just got a lot more interesting.
According to The Inquirer’s Jeff McLane, the Eagles reached agreement with Matt Pryor on a one-year deal. The 6-foot-7, 332-pounder was originally drafted by Philadelphia in the sixth round (206th overall pick) of the 2018 NFL Draft. He saw action in 27 games for the Eagles over two seasons, including 10 starts in 2020, before being traded to Indianapolis in 2021.
The decision to sign Pryor gives the team another big body for offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland to mold into a monster. Those two men have significant history together from Pryor’s initial two-year stint in Philly. The one thing that always stood out about the TCU product was his hand size — at 11.5 inches, Pryor would have had the biggest mitts at the 2018 NFL Scouting Combine, except he wasn’t invited.
“It’s a blessing. I’ve put in a lot of dedication trying to get to the next level. It’s been a dream since I was young,” Pryor told PE’s Chris McPherson in 2018. “Being able to be a part of this team is an honor, being able to be under Coach Stoutland and perfect my craft.”
Pryor has enviable experience playing tackle and guard, leading to speculation that the Eagles aren’t overly enthused about Tyler Steen. Former Eagles great Jason Kelce mentioned some “inconsistencies” in his game, citing a lack of depth on the offensive line amid rehabbing starter Cam Jurgens and Landon Dickerson.
The Eagles lost last year’s starting right guard Mekhi Becton in free agency, then watched swing tackle Fred Johnson bolt to Jacksonville. The team recently signed veteran tackle Kendall Lamm for extra depth. They also traded for Kenyon Green — a surprise move that swapped out CJ Gardner-Johnson — so the competition for the starting right guard spot could be a real battle at training camp.
I previously mentioned a possible depth signing at guard in a recent piece exploring some free agents on the market. Will Hernandez was tops on his list, with Pryor receiving consideration due to his familiarity with the franchise.
Meanwhile, Pryor brings legitimate chops stemming from 39 starts in 92 career games spread out over six NFL seasons. The 30-year-old spent last season in Chicago where he earned a 69.9 overall grade (via Pro Football Focus): 78.1 pass blocking, 65.9 run blocking.
He allowed seven sacks and committed seven penalties while playing 895 of his 1,005 total snaps at right guard. Pryor played every position on the offensive line for the Bears except center, plus one snap at tight end.
Photo by Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire
