The preseason this year started on an emotional note when Philadelphia Eagles veteran Jason Kelce announced his retirement. Kelce dominated the center of the field for the Eagles for more than a decade. His absence naturally leaves a huge hole in the Eagles’ roster. So how will Jalen Hurts & Co. replace Jason Kelce?
The Eagles superstar QB Jalen Hurts in his latest press conference was asked this and he candidly replied that one simply cannot replace a behemoth like Kelce. Instead, the best they can do without spending an insane amount is to pick the right talent from the collegiate circuit.
“I don’t think you can replace a guy like that, but I think we got special guys here. I think we’re going to get guys that have that sense of culture and mentality about themselves and that are truly hungry to go out there and go do great things; you know coming from the UOs and Alabama’s.
Jalen emphasized the focus on signing rookies with the right mentality. Nurturing and guiding young players with an insatiable hunger to excel is the way to replace Kelce.
“You kind of look at where these guys have come from, where my teammates have come from; they come from places rich in mentality, culture and winning; so um that’s what it’s all about you know. You can get a group of like-minded men together chasing the same goals and chasing the same things and ultimately putting the work in special things.”
The approach by Jalen Hurts also mirrors what Jason Kelce did a couple of years ago. Retirement has been looming for the elder Kelce brother for a while now. Hence in 2022, he urged the Eagles to sign rookie Cam Jurgens, earmarking him as his successor.
Cam Jurgens – The Next Jason Kelce?
Signed as the 51st overall in the 2022 draft, Cam hasn’t had enough chances to prove himself in his debut year. For context, Jurgens barely played just 3% of offensive snaps. However last year, Jurgens started in 11 games and played a massive 89% offensive snaps. He also allowed no sacks and gave up 22 QB pressures compared to Kelce who allowed a meagre 11 pressures despite playing double the snaps.
The Nebraska center has been on an upward trajectory since being signed by the Eagles. Having been personally scouted by Jason and being labeled as the most similar to Kelce by the Eagles legend himself, expectations are high from Cam. With Jurgens already having checked into Kelce’s locker room, and his performances so far, the Nebraska alum has a good chance of rising from Kelce’s shadows and making a name for himself. The Eagles’ rebuild success depends on how well Cam fits into Kelce’s role.
