With the start of the 2025 NFL regular season approaching, the Philadelphia Eagles are finalizing preparations for their opening game against the Dallas Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field. One notable development in the team’s locker room is Tyler Steen earning a starting spot at right guard. Steen, now in his third year out of Alabama, expressed confidence ahead of his first start in this role.
“Very confident,” Steen said on Thursday afternoon. “I’m really confident in the guys we have in that room. I plan to lean on those guys. Just make sure we communicate well and that we’re on the same page and I think everything will go well.”
Steen competed with Mekhi Becton for the position last season, eventually playing 371 offensive snaps and contributing when called upon. With Becton no longer holding the job, Steen steps into a key role as part of an offensive line that includes Jordan Mailata, Landon Dickerson, Cam Jurgens, and Lane Johnson.
“That’s cool. The starting five, all on that side of the locker room. Cool,” he said. “I plan on staying there. I stayed focused on putting my best foot forward every day. I wasn’t concerned on winning the job or whatever. I just wanted to get better the next day.”
The Eagles’ offensive line will face a new challenge this season opener as Dallas has traded All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons to Green Bay, meaning Philadelphia will encounter Parsons later in their schedule rather than immediately.
In other personnel news, Assistant General Manager Alec Halaby discussed how senior staff help develop younger members within both football operations and roster talent.
“It helps team cohesion. It helps people see a future for themselves within the organization,” Halaby said. “As employees, that means a lot to us. It’s not like that everywhere.”
Additionally, Philadelphia claimed interior offensive lineman Willie Lampkin off waivers from Los Angeles Rams this week after Lampkin received Pro Football Focus’ top rookie blocking grade during preseason play but suffered a lower leg injury prior to joining practice with Philadelphia.
“He’s one of the best to ever coach offensive line in the NFL,” Lampkin said about working with Run Game Coordinator/Offensive Line Coach Jeff Stoutland. “He’s coached legends. He’s still coaching legends right now … there is a bunch of talent in that O-line room.”
Lampkin emphasized how his background as a state champion wrestler benefits him: “When you get that leverage, it helps me be lower than the person that’s in front of me,” he said.
There will be no official injury or practice updates for either team until Monday due to adjusted scheduling around Thursday’s opener.
Looking back at history between these teams, their last season-opening meeting was in 2000—a game remembered as “the Pickle Juice Game,” which saw Duce Staley rush for over 200 yards and Philadelphia win decisively over Dallas.
According to recent analysis highlighted by Jimmy Kempski from Philly Voice (https://www.phillyvoice.com/eagles-have-nfls-second-youngest-roster-2024/), Philadelphia currently holds one of the youngest rosters in the league with an average age under 26 years old—second only to Green Bay—demonstrating significant turnover since last year’s squad.
