PHILADELPHIA – Jeff Stoutland said last week that he and Tyler Steen identified some things that needed to be worked on in his quest to nail down the Eagles’ starting right guard job. Since then, Steen has looked better as training camp has slogged its way into early August.
“He did some things that I had been talking to him about and he executed them,’ said the Eagles offensive line coach said last Tuesday. “He did a good job.”
Since the conversation with Stoutland, Steen has held up increasingly better against his main tormentor, Moro Ojomo, and he has won his share of battles with Jordan Davis. Since his return from missing three practices with a shoulder injury, Jalen Carter has been added to the competition.
“We’re getting each other better every day,” said Carter. “He’s a helluva player. I believe he is ready.”
Stoutland didn’t elaborate on what Steen needed to work on, but the lineman seems to be getting better at anchoring against bull rushes. Steen’s strength has been in run blocking, but in the pass game, he needs to refine his technique. Sometimes he tends to get grabby or reach, and that led to four holding calls against him last season.
Steen was on the field for 316 offensive snaps (27 percent) last year, and that helped his confidence grow. Then, in the offseason he worked even more on gaining strength.
“I think really you just look at his body of work as he’s grown from the last couple years until now,” said offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo on Sunday morning before practice. “And then obviously on Friday, going against Jalen Carter, going against Jordan Davis, you can really see his intensity ramp up, and the want-to and the attitude and just the decision making he has at certain calls he needs to make and the communications really growing, so you can see him in practice. We’re going against a pretty good D-line, so I think that’s really benefited him.”
This is Steen’s third season since being drafted in the third round, and it’s now or never for him to prove himself as a starter. It would also benefit the Eagles for him to do that, since right guard has been a position that has been a turnstile since Brandon Brooks retired.
Steen is signed through next season, so if he can hold on to the job, and do it well, the Eagles wouldn’t have to worry about the position next year.
“I honestly think I grew more last year than in my rookie year,’ said Steen. “Just getting the opportunity to go in there and play, and get some experience, and just getting more and more comfortable at guard. I think that really helped me gain some confidence going into this year.”
