The Philadelphia Eagles have made their first big change of the season. They will have a new starting left guard during Week 3. Chance Warmack is taking the spot once occupied by Isaac Seumalo. It was a move the team needed to make to ensure success on offense going forward, but it also represents a massive risk. The team will now be relying on a player who has nearly burned through all of his chances in the NFL. In other words, both the player and the team are making a mutually terrifying call with one another.
Eagles see changing of the guard
Wednesday's practice witnessed the change at the position.
When practice began, Seumalo wasn't taking the first-team reps anymore. Instead, those reps belonged to Warmack. It was a direct contrast to what Eagles coach Doug Pederson said earlier in the week about making any lineup changes. He claimed that he wasn't ready to hit "any panic buttons" right now -- either he's not panicking about the switch or he wasn't being forthcoming.
Either way, a time for change had already come. Seumalo has struggled since taking over for Allen Barbre, who was traded to the Denver Broncos during the offseason. Too much pressure has been falling on sophomore quarterback Carson Wentz, the centerpiece of the Eagles' future. The team needs to do whatever it takes to make sure he's safe in the pocket.
If that means inserting Warmack into the lineup, so be it.
Warmack's last chance?
There's at least a chance that the Eagles are downgrading with their new left guard. He was a first-round pick of the Tennessee Titans, but never truly distinguished himself before suffering a hand injury in 2016. Warmack signed with the team during the offseason and has already been given an extension through next season.
Jeff Stoutland, his offensive line coach from the University of Alabama, is around to help guide him to the next stage of his career.
Warmack didn't see the field during the first two weeks of the season -- he wasn't even active for those two games. Now, he'll have the responsibility of anchoring the offensive line going forward.
His first challenge is against the New York Giants, a team with a ferocious pass rush and strong defense (even if they've struggled to start the season). If Warmack passes that test and the Eagles come out of their home opener with a victory, the left guard can feel secure, with the knowledge that the job is all his going forward this season.
