Landon Dickerson Missing from Eagles Practice Days Before 2025 Season Opener

Well, well, well. Just when you thought the Eagles’ season opener against Dallas was going to be straightforward, the football gods decided to throw us a curveball. Because apparently, having a healthy offensive line is just too much to ask for in Philadelphia. Here we are, three days before kickoff against our beloved NFC East rivals, and suddenly our Pro Bowl left guard, Landon Dickerson, might be watching from the sidelines with a bag of ice on his knee.

The Dickerson Dilemma: A Week 1 Headache

Let’s cut to the chase, Dickerson was nowhere to be found at Monday’s practice, and that’s about as comforting as a Cowboys fan at an Eagles tailgate. The 26-year-old guard, who’s been to three straight Pro Bowls (because apparently he’s pretty good at his job), had meniscus surgery on August 13th. For those keeping track at home, that’s exactly three weeks before the season opener. Not exactly what you’d call ideal timing.

What makes this situation particularly maddening is that everything seemed to be going according to plan. Dickerson had been practicing since last Wednesday, looking like he was ready to anchor that left side of the line. The medical staff probably had their fingers crossed, Nick Sirianni was probably sleeping soundly, and Eagles fans were cautiously optimistic. Then Monday happened.

Brett Toth Steps Into the Spotlight

So who’s the lucky guy potentially getting thrown into the fire against Kenny Clark and the Dallas defensive front? That would be Brett Toth, a 29-year-old veteran who celebrated his birthday on Monday by taking first-team reps at left guard. Happy birthday, Brett. Hope you like pressure.

Toth isn’t exactly a household name, and there’s a reason for that. He’s played in 20 career games with just two starts, and he hasn’t started since 2023 in Carolina. Not exactly the resume that screams “ready to neutralize one of the league’s most fearsome pass rushes.” But hey, this is the NFL – stranger things have happened.

The Eagles do have other options lurking on the roster. Matt Pryor brings some experience, Drew Kendall was a draft pick this year, and Kenyon Green was just promoted from the practice squad on Sunday. Green didn’t even make the initial 53-man roster, which tells you everything you need to know about the depth situation here.

The Bigger Picture: Eagles vs Cowboys Drama

This Dickerson situation couldn’t come at a worse time. The Eagles-Cowboys rivalry doesn’t need any additional storylines, but here we are anyway. Dallas has been salivating at the chance to get after Jalen Hurts, and now they might be facing a makeshift offensive line to start the season.

What’s particularly frustrating is that Dickerson has been through this dance before. He battled through a different knee injury during the playoff run last season, proving his toughness. The fact that he was limited to just watching practice on Monday suggests this might be more serious than initially hoped.

The Domino Effect on Philadelphia’s Championship Hopes

Here’s the thing about offensive line injuries: they don’t happen in a vacuum. When you’re missing a Pro Bowl guard, everyone else has to step up their game. Jordan Mailata and Cam Jurgens suddenly have more responsibility. The running game might suffer. Hurts might be looking over his shoulder more than usual.

And let’s be honest, the Cowboys’ defense isn’t exactly rolling over for anyone. They’ve got talent, they’ve got motivation, and now they might have a weakness to exploit right from the jump.

What This Means Moving Forward

The Eagles will release their official injury report later today, and that’s when we’ll get a clearer picture of Dickerson’s status. But if Monday’s practice is any indication, the team is preparing for life without their starting left guard, at least for Week 1.

Meanwhile, Tanner McKee is still dealing with his thumb issue, which means Sam Howell is likely to be Hurts’ backup. Because apparently, one position battle wasn’t enough drama for opening week.

The Bottom Line

Look, injuries happen in the NFL. It’s part of the game. But when your Pro Bowl guard goes from “trending toward playing” to “not at practice” three days before a divisional rivalry game, it stings a little more. The Eagles have dealt with adversity before, and they’ll deal with it again.

But man, wouldn’t it be nice if just once – just once – we could start a season with everyone healthy and ready to roll? Apparently, that’s too much to ask in Philadelphia. Buckle up, Eagles fans. It’s going to be a long week.