When the Philadelphia Eagles signed veteran offensive lineman Matt Pryor to a one-year deal in March of 2025, the thought was he might compete for a guard spot.
But as the 2025 season has progressed, Pryor's role has not, and that has led to a lot of time riding the pine.
"I ain't gonna lie, it's hard," Pryor said about his time with the Eagles this season, per Ed Kracz of Sports Illustrated. "I wanna play. Sitting out there not doing anything and just waiting, I hate it (waiting for) somebody getting hurt; I hate that situation, just sitting out there when you go from playing a whole year. It's the situation I'm in right now, and it is what it is."
Pryor has appeared in 14 games this season (no starts), and has logged just 50 snaps on offense and 58 on special teams.
That's a jarring contrast for a player who was a fixture on the Chicago Bears' O-line in 2024. Just last year, Pryor played in 17 games (15 starts at guard) and more than 1,000 offensive snaps.
Unfortunately for Pryor, the Eagles have a far superior offensive line this year than the Bears had in 2024. Guard Landon Dickerson has been the starter on the left side, with Brett Toth stepping in as the starting LG for at least one game when Dickerson was injured. On the right side, Tyler Steen has essentially owned the RG job week-to-week.
To his credit, Pryor isn't blaming anyone, least of all players such as Steen.
"Steen is a phenomenal player, so I'm not surprised he's starting," Pryor added. "He's doing a great job out there. And look who we have on the line, a bunch of Pro Bowlers, so as far as that, a little surprised, but at the same time, look at our O-line, they're dominant players. So surprised, but not surprised, I guess."
Pryor was brought in because he can play multiple spots, has legit starting experience and had just proven he could stay healthy for an entire season in Chicago. But considering how many injuries have hit Philly's O-line this year, there's still a chance he could see the field and play some meaningful snaps.
Drafted by Philadelphia in 2018, he played 27 games in his first stint with the franchise before later stops that included Indianapolis and San Francisco. He spent one season with the Bears, who also re-vamped their offensive line last offseason.
With three games left and the Eagles still vying for decent playoff positioning, Pryor could very well be one rolled ankle away from entering the starting lineup.