Earlier this week, Philadelphia Eagles head coach Doug Pederson spoke to the media and made verbal commitments to several veteran players whose starting roles were in question.
One was quarterback Sam Bradford, which was expected by many fans. The other, however, was a bit of a surprise.
Pederson also came out and named veteran guard Allen Barbre the early pick for starter at left guard, stating that the well-traveled veteran was "his guy."
Barbre did not play particularly well as a full-time starter last season. The Eagles offensive line struggled heavily to generate holes in the running game, as well as hold up in pass protection, and Barbre was one of the problems on the line.
The team went out and put a great number of resources into the offensive line during the offseason, spending big money on Brandon Brooks to solidify the right guard spot, while also adding veteran Stefen Wisniewski and investing a third-round pick in Isaac Seumalo.
These moves would suggest, at the very least, that an open competition is imminent for the left guard position. Barbre's play shouldn't be enough to justify him a lock for the job, and drafting Seumalo in the third round would suddenly become a very questionable decision if he isn't at least in the mix for the job during training camp.
Pick No. 77 was a crucial selection for the Eagles in this draft. With Carson Wentz not expected to see significant action during his rookie year, and the team's second-round pick already forfeited thanks to Chip Kelly's questionable trade to bring Bradford to Philadelphia, the Eagles third-round pick stood as their greatest chance to select an impact player capable of making immediate contributions to the team in 2016.
If Seumalo isn't even in consideration for a starting spot, then the Eagles, who also did not have a fourth-round pick in this draft, would likely only be able to look to fifth-round running back Wendell Smallwood as their lone draft pick that has a realistic chance to play right away, meaning that this club could essentially play the 2016 season without the regular benefits that a draft class can provide a team.
The reality is that Pederson is perhaps the biggest wildcard in the franchise at this moment. He's a complete unknown as a head coach in this league, and with few samples of his coaching tastes and styles available to go off of, it's very hard to tell just what the former Andy Reid disciple may be thinking.
While Pederson may indeed like what Barbre can bring to the table, if he's truly willing to set him in stone as the starting left guard, it would certainly be a head-scratching decision. It's very possible that his words are merely tongue-in-cheek, and with months of offseason workouts and practices still ahead, the coach's true vision could reveal itself.
Denny Basens is a contributing writer to Eagledelphia. Follow him on Twitter @DennyBasens.
