The Eagles biggest holes this offseason came all across their offensive line. They had to fill two guard spots, as well as find depth that could fill in for an aging Jason Peters. After signing Brandon Brooks to a large contract in free agency, it was expected the Eagles would go into the draft looking for more offensive line help.
With no second round pick (thanks to Chip Kelly) the chances of getting a quality starter were slim.
The team announced today that they have signed veteran lineman Stefan Wisniewski to a one year contract. While he has experience at both center and guard, he is expected to be the starting left guard in between Jason Peters and Jason Kelce.
#Eagles have signed G/C Stefen Wisniewski to a one-year contract.
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) April 4, 2016
G Matt Tobin has also signed his one-year tender. pic.twitter.com/g7zYkdH9Lp
NFL Mocks staff writer Rodney Stokes took a look at Stefan Wisniewski heading into free agency earlier this offseason.
"With Alex Mack hitting free agency Wisniewski might see less money than he would’ve in before. Still, with center being one of the more difficult positions to come across I still expect Wisniewski to have a decent pay day coming up. He was originally drafted by the Raiders where he anchored the line for four years, a one year stint in Jacksonville has him back on the open market, again looking for a new home. There are a few teams looking to plug in a solid center and Wisniewski could be the answer for teams like Houston or Cleveland if they can’t resign their own."
Wisniewski grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and attended Penn State University, so this is in some ways a homecoming for him. He spent much of his career in Oakland, where he rarely missed a game.
The consistent health of Wisniewski is going to be key for Philadelphia, as they lost most of their starters last year at some point to injury. He is a nice stop-gap to protect Sam Bradford until the right guy comes along in the draft.