Eagles could wind up replacing both starting guards

The questions on the Eagles' offensive line were not supposed to include the starters on the left side, where tackle Jason Peters and guard Evan Mathis are both Pro Bowl players. But Mathis has not reported for the Eagles' offseason program and Peters is proceeding as if Allen Barbre - not Mathis - will play next to him this season.

"It's Al right now and that's who we're rolling with," Peters said. "Right now, if we had to play, Al would be the starter."

Mathis, who is unhappy with his contract, would be subject to a fine if he misses the mandatory minicamp next week. What has stood out this spring is that Barbre has filled in at left guard even though he is expected to be the front-runner to replace Todd Herremans at right guard this year.

"They're just all rotating," coach Chip Kelly said. "I think he feels comfortable there. But I couldn't care less who [offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland] has in there. Just make sure there are five guys in there."

Still, Peters isn't rotating out of his spot. Jason Kelce remains the first-team center. And Lane Johnson is the top right tackle. So keeping Barbre, 30, at left guard either means that the Eagles are showing what the line could look like without Mathis or that they're remiss in preparing Barbre for the spot he could fill this season.

"We haven't got any starters right now," Kelly said. "It's June, so that's not a big concern for us."

It should be a bigger concern. The Eagles did not add an offensive lineman in free agency or the draft even after they released Herremans. All their newcomers are undrafted free agents. With Mathis on the roster, they still need to find a replacement at right guard among Barbre, Matt Tobin, Andrew Gardner, and Dennis Kelly - each of whom started games last season.

"We've got a good group of guys, and Al can play, that's my wing guy right now," Peters said. "We're looking for a right guard."

Asked if he would miss Mathis if the veteran does not return, Peters said "not really" because he has had to play next to different players throughout his career.

"It don't really matter," Peters said. "Whoever's beside me, I just need to get the chemistry ready for them and get ready for the season."

Without Mathis, the Eagles would need to find two new starters. In the portions of organized team activities open to reporters, Barbre remained on the left side while Tobin, Gardner, and Kelly received first-team work on the right side.

"I just do what I'm asked," Barbre said. "It's not really my choice, I'm not here to debate it."

Barbre admitted he wonders what's going to happen, although he acknowledged the business side of the game. The Eagles have been high on Barbre for three years. They signed him in 2013 after he had played for three teams over seven years, and he impressed Kelly's staff quickly during their first training camp. Barbre became the team's top reserve and filled in for Peters during a win over Green Bay in 2013.

He received a contract extension during the 2014 offseason. When Johnson was suspended for the first four games last season, Barbre was tabbed as the replacement. He spent all of training camp taking first-team snaps at right tackle.

Barbre exited the 2014 season opener with an ankle injury that kept him sidelined for the rest of the year. When he returned this spring, he was back on the left side.

"The experience I had at right tackle will probably help me now when I go back to the right," Barbre said.

That is only if he eventually moves back to that side. Mathis' status adds a complication. The best-case scenario for the Eagles would be if Mathis returns and plays left guard at the Pro Bowl level he has maintained in recent seasons. But the Eagles have spent the spring showing what the line would look like without him.

"We've got a group of guys out there that work, that have been here since April, and right now, Al Barbre is the starter," Peters said. "If Evan shows up, he gets his spot back, I don't know. It's all about what the coaches do."

@ZBerm