The first four weeks went about as poorly as they could have for the Philadelphia offense. And then things got worse. First came RT Lane Johnson announcing his retirement after missing the loss to the Rams for personal reasons. Then ESPN's Adam Schefter reported today that the Eagles are trading C/G Cam Jurgens to the Ravens. Baltimore's sending a 2027 fifth-rounder and a 2028 second for Jurgens plus a 2027 seventh. Jurgens is just 27 and remains signed through 2029, with sub-$10 million cap hits through 2027.
Get Rid of Philly Runners If You Get a Chance
The Eagles are now down to two of their five O-line starters from the opener. In addition to Johnson and Jurgens, LG Landon Dickerson landed on IR after Week 1 showed him that his right knee wasn't well enough to play.
Dickerson should return at some point, but it's tough to bet on him saving a line that has offered little blocking help to a struggling running game through four weeks.
RB Saquon Barkley has seen the same 2.5 yards before contact per carry as last year. That number was 3.8 for his monstrous 2024.
If Barkley delivers any successful outings after returning from his hamstring injury, you should immediately try to spin that into a trade. This offense looks like a poor bet to rebound in 2026.
QB Jalen Hurts doesn't quite match the worry level but has similarly provided disappointing fantasy results this year. Watch for trade opportunities with him as well.
Ravens Re-Invest in Derrick Henry
Jurgens can play center or guard, but the Ravens clearly targeted him to line up at the former.
Baltimore lost C Tyler Linderbaum to the Raiders this offseason on the position's largest-ever free-agent contract. Replacement Ethan Pocic landed on IR after a Week 3 knee injury.
RB Derrick Henry, meanwhile, has gone from 3.1 yards before contact per carry in 2024 -- his first Ravens campaign -- to 2.8 last season and just 1.9 so far this year. His yards after contact have also dipped:
- 2.8 per carry in 2024
- 2.4 in 2025
- 2.3 in 2026
Jurgens clearly arrives as an upgrade on the incumbent options, though he carries some risk as well.
What They're Saying
Ravens GM Eric DeCosta: "We are excited to acquire a two-time Pro Bowl center, Cam Jurgens, from the Eagles in a trade. Cam is a player we have long admired going all the way back to the draft process. He's a young foundational piece along our offensive line -- a great scheme and cultural fit who will contribute quickly in Baltimore. We are confident that Cam will significantly impact our team and community."
Is Jurgens Still the Same Player?
The Baltimore front office has fared pretty well for a while now, so I won't doubt their evaluation of Jurgens. But the price Philly took seems noteworthy.
We're talking about a 27-year-old former second-round pick who could affordably remain under contract through 2029. Even if the Eagles are going rebuild after this season's disappointing start, shouldn't they hold out for more than a 2028 second-rounder and a 2027 pick swap?
Jurgens dealt with multiple injuries in both 2025 and 2023. And his Pro Football Focus grades for this season sit at career lows:
Perhaps he was dragged down by the negative surroundings. Perhaps those grades are just wrong. (PFF has given us reason to question their grading over the past few years.)
But combine that with the acquisition price, and it's at least enough to say let's wait and see before counting on Jurgens upgrading the Baltimore run blocking.
Of course, you probably weren't looking for a reason to keep playing Henry, and you shouldn't feel any less comfy with him today than you did yesterday. But I'll be watching those underlying rushing metrics in the coming weeks to see if we start getting reason to question.
