Eagles G Cam Jurgens facing extended absence

The Eagles played without Cam Jurgens during the second half and overtime Sunday. They will need to continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Jurgens is expected to miss time due to the foot injury he sustained against the Commanders.

Jurgens suffered a foot sprain, per the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane, who adds this setback could sideline the second-year guard for “several weeks.” Jurgens is in his first season as a regular Eagles starter.

Sua Opeta, a fifth-year Eagles reserve, filled in for Jurgens at right guard. The Eagles are reasonably well equipped to handle such an absence. They chose Tyler Steen in this year’s third round, using a Day 2 pick on an interior O-lineman for a third straight year. Steen, who competed for the right guard job this summer, was inactive for Week 4. The Alabama product, who finished his college career as a tackle, has not made his Eagles debut yet.

Opeta is indeed the next man up, per Nick Sirianni, who praised his relief effort. Opeta has been with the Eagles since arriving as a 2019 UDFA. While Opeta did not see any action as a rookie, he has worked as a backup since. The Weber State alum started two games in 2020 and ’21. Sirianni labeled Jurgens week to week, 94WIP.com’s Eliot Short-Parks notes.

Drafted as a Jason Kelce heir apparent at center, Jurgens entered the guard mix after two offseason developments. Kelce opted to return for a 13th season, and the Eagles let longtime starter Isaac Seumalo defect to the Steelers in free agency. The team’s run of interior O-line selections on Day 2 — Steen, Jurgens, Landon Dickerson — has produced two starters, with Jurgens beating out Steen for the RG post a year after he spent his rookie slate as a swingman. Jurgens only played 35 offensive snaps last season but came into this year with a big opportunity.

The Nebraska product resides in the interesting position of being Philadelphia’s center of the future and right guard of the present. For the time being, however, he will work to return to his temp job.