Penn State G Vega Ioane Visits Eagles

Although left guard Landon Dickerson and right tackle Lane Johnson are putting off retirement for at least another year, it would behoove the Eagles to have succession plans in place. Cognizant that Dickerson and/or Johnson could be gone by 2027, the Eagles may address the offensive line as early as the first round of April’s draft, according to Zach Berman of The Athletic.

Penn State guard Vega Ioane, among the premier prospects in this year’s class, may be a solution for the Eagles. The team hosted Vega at its facility on Monday, Berman reports. The Eagles are set to pick 23rd overall. Vega looks like a logical candidate for their top selection, though he could be off the board by then. With that in mind, general manager Howie Roseman might have to trade up.

Notably, Roseman has not drafted an offensive lineman in the first round since the ill-fated decision to take Andre Dillard 22nd overall in 2019. Dillard, a former tackle, made just nine starts in three years with the Eagles.

While Dillard was an obvious misfire, Roseman was at the helm for the eminently successful selections of the Eagles’ current starting line. Dickerson (second round, 2021), Johnson (first round, 2013), left tackle Jordan Mailata (seventh round, 2018) and center Cam Jurgens (second round, 2022) have all been hits. Roseman also spent a 2023 third-rounder on right guard Tyler Steen, a 17-game starter last year.

If Vega ends up in Philadelphia, he could either push Steen for a starting job or begin as depth behind him and Dickerson. Although Dickerson is just 27, the three-time Pro Bowler has grown weary of a long line of injuries and surgeries dating to his college career. The Eagles removed a year from Dickerson’s contract earlier this month, giving them two more seasons of control. Dickerson may not last that long, though, given how seriously he considered retirement this winter.

A potential long-term successor to Dickerson, the 6-foot-4, 330-pound Vega was a full-time starter at left guard for the past two years. After earning a second-team All-Big Ten nod in 2024, Vega took home first-team all-conference and first-team All-America honors last season. He went back-to-back years without allowing a sack, per Pro Football Focus. In ranking Vega the 13th-best prospect in the 2026 class, Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com contends that Vega will “be an impact starter from Day 1.” Perhaps that prediction will come true in Philadelphia.