2019 roster preview: For Eagles’ talented offensive line, it’s all about staying healthy

This is the fourth of an eight-part series previewing the Eagles’ roster before organized team activities begin on May 21.

Here is the schedule:

May 7: Quarterbacks | May 8: Running back | May 9: Wide receiver/tight end | Today: Offensive line | Tomorrow: Defensive line | Wednesday: Linebacker | Thursday: Cornerbacks | Friday: Safeties

Who’s back: OT Jason Peters, OT Lane Johnson, C Jason Kelce, G Brandon Brooks, G Isaac Seumalo, G Stefen Wisniewski, OT Halapoulivaati Vaitai, OT Jordan Mailata, G-T Matt Pryor, C Anthony Fabiano.

The Eagles have one of the best starting fives, when healthy, in the NFL. Peters, Johnson, Kelce and Brooks all are Pro Bowlers, and the first three have been first-team All-Pro selections.

Yet the Eagles finished no better than 28th in rushing and 15th in sacks allowed per pass play last season.

Peters, the Eagles’ 37-year-old left tackle, has decided to return for one last hurrah. The nine-time Pro Bowler started all 16 regular-season games and both the Eagles’ playoff games last season, but missed nearly 20 percent of the snaps because of an assortment of injuries.

He missed the entire fourth quarter of the Eagles’ loss to the Saints in the playoffs with a back injury. Throw in his ACL tear in 2017, and he’s missed nearly a thousand snaps over the last two seasons. While he still can play at a high level, it’s unlikely that he’s going to be any less prone to injury at 37 than he was at 36.

Vaitai has filled in for Peters at left tackle the last two years when he’s been sidelined. Vaitai started 10 games during the Eagles’ Super Bowl season after Peters tore an ACL.

But the Eagles don’t really view him as a serious candidate to replace Peters when he retires. In fact, with the addition of first-round pick Andre Dillard, and the rapid development of Mailata, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Eagles trade Vaitai to a tackle-needy team at some point this summer as they stockpile draft picks.

Brooks is one of the league’s top guards. He’s a dominant run-blocker and has given up just two sacks and seven quarterback hits in the last three years. He and Johnson are the best right-side blocking tandem in the NFL.

But Brooks ruptured his Achilles tendon in the Eagles’ playoff loss to the Saints, and while he’s hoping to be back for the start of the season in September, that’s an overly optimistic goal for that particular injury.

That’s a big reason the Eagles re-signed Wisniewski on Monday after declining to pick up his contract option in March. Wisniewski gives them needed depth at both guard and center that protects them if Brooks isn’t ready to go.

Wisniewski has 101 career starts, including 11 during the Eagles’ Super Bowl run. If the Eagles hadn’t brought him back, their best replacement option for Brooks would’ve been the untested Pryor, a 2018 fourth-rounder who didn’t play a single snap as a rookie. While they like Pryor’s potential, there’s no way to tell whether he’s ready to play.

Wisniewski’s experience at center also gives them protection in case something happens to Kelce.

Kelce, 31, is the glue in the middle of the Eagles’ line and the most athletic snapper in the NFL. He briefly mulled retirement before signing a one-year extension through 2020.

Mailata will be an interesting guy to watch this spring and summer. The 6-foot-8, 346-pound Aussie was a rugby player who had never played football before the Eagles drafted him in the seventh round last year. But he made giant strides under offensive-line coach Jeff Stoutland’s tutelage before injuring his back late in the season.

The Eagles worked him strictly at left tackle last year. But coach Doug Pederson said last week that they likely will cross-train him at right tackle this spring as well.

Seumalo replaced Wisniewski at left guard and started nine games there last year. He had his ups and downs. He can play anywhere on the line, and figures to be Kelce’s eventual replacement at center whenever he does decide to call it quits. He has all the physical tools in the world, but needs to be more consistent.

Who’s new: OT Andre Dillard, OT Ryan Bates, G Nate Herbig, G Sua Opeta, C Keegan Render.

Dillard was the best left tackle in the draft. When he unexpectedly slid into the 20s, the Eagles moved up three spots and grabbed him.

Dillard started 39 games in Mike Leach’s air-raid offense at Washington State, so he has plenty of pass-protection experience. He immediately moved to the top of the list of potential replacements for Peters whenever the left tackle retires.

Herbig is an interesting player. The 6-3, 335-pound guard started 13 games for Stanford two years ago and was a first-team All-Pac-12 selection. Undisclosed injuries limited him to seven games last year. He decided to skip his final year of eligibility, but didn’t get drafted. He’s a road-grader with long arms and big hands.

Who’s gone: G Chance Warmack.

The Eagles signed him two years ago because they thought his old college coach at Alabama, Stoutland, might be able to light a fire under him. It didn’t work. Warmack played just seven snaps last season.

Roster competition: The backup-tackle situation will be fun to watch this summer. Vaitai has the most experience, 17 career starts, but probably the lowest ceiling. Dillard has the first-round pedigree. Mailata has the untapped, sky’s-the-limit talent, but is beginning just his second year of organized football.