The Philadelphia Eagles added more depth to their offensive line, signing Max Scharping to their 90-man roster. Philadelphia announced the newest addition to its OL on June 3.
Scharping, who turns 28 in August, has spent his five NFL seasons with the Houston Texans and the Cincinnati Bengals.
The 6-foot-6, 325-pound veteran OL was a second-round draft pick out of Northern Illinois for the Texans in 2019. He started 33 games for Houston from 2019 through 2021, playing in 79.
The Texans waived him in August of 2022 and he was claimed off waivers by Cincinnati, where he spent the last two seasons as a reserve, appearing mostly on special teams.
Eagles’ New OL Signing Max Scharping Comes With Playoff Experience
Scharping started two games in the 2019 AFC playoffs for the Texans as a rookie, playing 106 pass block snaps and allowing just one quarterback hurry, per Pro Football Focus.
He also started three playoff games in place of an injured Alex Cappa for the Bengals in 2022, protecting Cincinnati QB Joe Burrow when it mattered most. He allowed three sacks, nine hurries and three QB hits in 136 pass block snaps during the postseason that year. Those aren’t numbers to write home about, but that kind of big-game experience is still a valuable asset.
“He’s seen a lot of things,” Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said about Scharping in 2023, via Cleveland.com. “He’s played a lot of games in this league. Our scouting department liked him coming out of Northern Illinois, we liked him coming out of Houston — that’s why we claimed him.”
“If you’re not ready to play in the playoffs then you shouldn’t be in this profession,” Scharping told Cleveland.com. “That’s just part of the game. There is a reason we’re all here at this level. We’re all competitive.”
Now, Scharping will compete for a spot on Philadelphia’s 53-man roster.
Eagles Like O-Linemen With Versatility
Head coach Nick Sirianni and company prefer to add offensive linemen who are versatile and can play multiple positions. Scharping fits that bill.
Over his five seasons in the NFL, the veteran OL has played 1,536 snaps at left guard and 884 at right guard, per PFF. Eagles guard Landon Dickerson is set to start on the left side. Tyler Steen is expected to start at right guard, with vet Matt Hennessey also on the depth chart behind him. Scharping will likely sit behind them both.
Steen will be a key player for Philly this season. A 2023 third-round pick out of Alabama for the Eagles in 2023, Steen played just 71 snaps as a rookie last year. He allowed five hurries and a QB hit in limited action. He’ll be starting for the first time in 2024.
There’s also former New York Jets offensive lineman Mekhi Becton, the No. 11 overall pick in the 2020 draft, in the mix. According to Brooks Kubena of The Athletic, Eagles offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland says Becton has “swing value,” and has been taking snaps at guard throughout OTAs.
There’s no guarantee either Becton or Scharping will make the Eagles’ 53-man roster, but Philly’s need for O-line depth makes them players worth monitoring this summer.
