The Philadelphia Eagles signed offensive lineman Matt Pryor to a one-year deal for just $1.35 million this offseason, and some believe the veteran OL will be named the team’s starter at right guard.
In his 2025 regular season projections for all 32 teams, ESPN’s Mike Clay has Pryor as the Eagles’ starter at RG, over Tyler Steen and Trevor Keegan. Steen, now entering Year 3, enters camp this summer as the favorite to start on the right side, but Pryor had a sneakily underrated season with the Chicago Bears last year, and that shouldn’t be overlooked.
If Pryor were to beat Steen out for the starting RG job, it would be a bit of a surprise, as some analysts don’t even see a place for Pryor on the Eagles’ bench. In his May 19 roster projection, Jimmy Kempski of the Philly Voice doesn’t have Pryor making the team at all.
Considering Pryor’s experience coupled with his return to Philly — he was drafted by the Eagles in 2018 — we think it’d be a surprise if he was cut altogether. Let’s break it all down further.
Could Matt Pryor Be Starting RG for Philadelphia Eagles in 2025?
GettyCan Matt Pryor win the starting RG job for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2025?
This will be Pryor’s second stint with the Eagles. Philly selected him in the sixth round of the 2018 NFL Draft, and he spent his first three seasons there, appearing in 27 games and starting 10.
In 2021, the Eagles traded Pryor to the Indianapolis Colts, where he started 14 games over two seasons, takings snaps at RG, right tackle and left tackle in that span. After a brief stint with the San Francisco 49ers in 2023, where he played in 15 games, Pryor signed with the Bears in March 2024.
During his time in the Windy City, he was thrust into a starting role due to a litany of injuries and performance issues among Chicago’s interior O-line. He started 15 games, primarily at right guard, and played in all 17 games. Pryor logged 1,005 total snaps, allowing seven sacks and 17 hurries, also committing seven penalties. By season’s end, he earned a 78.1 pass block grade from Pro Football Focus.
His performance also earned him a significant performance-based pay bonus of over $1 million, nearly matching his base salary. Many fans and analysts wanted the Bears to re-sign him, but he chose to go back to Philly instead.
The 6-foot-7, 332-pound Pryor is more experienced than Steen, and at the very least, he should be a serviceable backup for multiple positions on the O-line.
2025 Will Be Huge for OL Tyler Steen
The Eagles selected Steen 65th overall in the third round of the 2023 draft. Originally a tackle at Vanderbilt and Alabama, Steen transitioned to guard in the NFL due to his 32¾” arm length, which is considered short for an NFL tackle.
In his rookie season, Steen appeared in 11 games, starting one. The following season, his role expanded. He played in all 17 games, starting two, and was part of the Eagles’ offensive line that helped secure a Super Bowl 59 win over the Kansas City Chiefs. His performance earned praise from Eagles’ offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland, who compared Steen’s potential to that of former Pro Bowl guard Brandon Brooks.
All things considered, the upcoming season is gonna be huge for the third-year offensive lineman. If he stays healthy and plays better than Pryor, there’s no doubt he’ll be the guy. But if he stumbles, all bets are off.
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