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Oftentimes, core players on a football team that uplift the team through different eras consist of quarterback and other skill positions. But for the Philadelphia Eagles, it's offensive linemen Jason Kelce and Lane Johnson and defensive linemen Brandon Graham and Fletcher Cox, who are about to play their 11th season together.
The Eagles' quartet of stalwarts in the trenches, who have combined for 17 Pro Bowls, have been there for a lot of good and bad football. With the team on the upswing powered by young stars, their leadership and experience with the team are as important as ever. Battles in practice with each other over the years have sharpened iron with iron and given Philadelphia a foundation on which it has built a football superteam.
Graham explained how practicing against Johnson is “a chess game” that has helped him improve, according to Olivia Reiner of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
“Sometimes I stick with my bull, or sometimes I go with an outside swipe because I know he got to put his hands on me, because sometimes he don’t give me his hands,” Graham said, via the Philadelphia Inquirer. “But that’s what I’m saying, man. It’s a chess game that me and Lane always have played over the years. I think he’s helped me so much because a lot of guys are not like him.”
The respect is mutual for Johnson, who has been practicing against Graham for a long time. Both Eagles stars have learned each other's tendencies, giving them experience that has been immensely valuable as they look to help the team win and keep their sizable roles.
“He’s one of those guys, man, that if he gets under you when he bull rushes you, he’s going to lift you up,” Johnson said, via the Philadelphia Inquirer. “So going against the guy like that during training camp teaches me to play at a lower pad level, because any slight mistake or any mishap with your hands, he’s going to bull you back or do his hand swipe off of it.”
Graham said that having smart players goes a long way and that the Eagles' roster is full of them. It's one of many reasons why they are expected to make it back to the Super Bowl.
