PHILADELPHIA — Jason Kelce will miss a significant portion of August after undergoing elbow surgery Tuesday, a Philadelphia Eagles team spokesman confirmed to CBS Sports. The Eagles do not expect Kelce to miss the regular season opener against the Detroit Lions on Sept. 11, as the elbow procedure Kelce had done typically results in a recovery time of two to four weeks.
“After trying to work through discomfort in his elbow, it was agreed that a routine cleanout was in his best interest and would also allow for a speedy recovery,” the Eagles released in a statement.
Former Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Roddy White underwent a similar procedure on Aug. 23 ahead of the 2015 season. White returned for Week 1 to face the Eagles. Like Kelce, White was also in his age-34 season.
Kelce’s streak of 122 consecutive starts will be in jeopardy until he’s cleared to play, which is the longest active streak for centers in the NFL. Kelce trails only Jake Matthews (127 starts) for the longest consecutive start streak in the NFL. The Eagles longtime center hasn’t missed a game since Week 8 of the 2014 season.
An All-Pro selection at center in four of the past five years, Kelce anchored the league’s No. 1 rushing attack in Philadelphia last season. In 525 pass-blocking snaps last year, Kelce allowed just one sack and 16 pressures with a pressure rate per dropback of 3.0%.
While Kelce is sidelined, second-round pick Cam Jurgens will take over as the first-team center. The Eagles have drafted Jurgens as a heir apparent to Kelce after he allowed just one sack on 1,016 pass-blocking snaps in his college career at Nebraska. He also allowed just four quarterback hits and 29 hurries in that span, and played 2,066 snaps in his career at center.
Isaac Seumalo was lined up at right guard with Jurgens over at center in Tuesday’s practice.
