Eagles center Jason Kelce was passing out shots and beers at The Ocean Drive in Sea Isle City Wednesday, working in tandem with the other servers, all while raising money for the Eagles Autism Foundation.
Although Kelce was moving in lockstep with the other servers in passing bargoers their beverages, it will be a different scene in less than a month when Eagles players report to training camp. When Kelce returns to the field, one person he will be working next to is offensive lineman Isaac Seumalo.
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Seumalo was carted off the field at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, after suffering a Lisfranc injury against the Dallas Cowboys last season and is on the road back to the starting lineup. The process is a long, arduous task for Seumalo, given that the injury occurred nearly 10 months from when he suffered his injury. Complicating things, Seumalo is also switching positions, moving from left guard to right guard.
Even though Seumalo is making the change while focusing on getting back to the way he played before the injury, Kelce believes Seumalo will be able to come back and play well.
“The injuries have been unfortunate,” Kelce said. “That injury that he suffered is severe, but for some reason, because it’s Isaac Seumalo, I feel very confident that he is going to come back right where you left off. He’s the epitome of what it means to be a great teammate and a great Eagle. I can’t wait to see him back out there this year.”
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Kelce, who has played next to Seumalo for six seasons, is basing his belief on what he saw from Seumalo in the locker room, the weight room, and on the field.
“That dude has been awesome from the moment he got here in terms of his work ethic, his attention to detail, and his intelligence,” Kelce said. “I really can’t say enough things that I think of when it comes to Isaac Seumalo. I think he’s an incredible player.”
Seumalo could be the best option for the Eagles when it comes to the right guard position vacated by Brandon Brooks after Brooks retired in January. When Seumalo played in nine games in 2020, Pro Football Focus rated him the 10th best guard in the league when it came to pass blocking.
Seumalo already knows what is expected from him by offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland, effectively working on double-team blocks and getting out of his stance quickly and efficiently. If Seumalo is able to return and play well, it will go a long way in helping the Eagles offense.
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Chris Franklin may be reached at cfranklin@njadvancemedia.com.
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