The Eagles have made a depth addition along the interior offensive line. Guard Max Scharping inked a deal on Monday, per a team announcement. 
The 27-year-old spent the past two seasons with the Bengals, but he was unable to secure playing time on offense during that span. Scharping logged just 43 snaps in Cincinnati, but during the Texans tenure which preceded it, he saw a much larger workload. Between 2019 and ’21, he started 33 of 48 appearances.
During his first two seasons in Houston, Scharping played at left guard and drew underwhelming PFF evaluations. That continued in 2021 when he saw most of his time at right guard. The former second-rounder’s limited 2023 Bengals snaps came at center, but in Philadelphia he will compete for a depth guard spot.
Center Jason Kelce‘s retirement has paved the way for Cam Jurgens to take over in the middle of the Eagles’ O-line. As a result, the starting right guard position is available, and 2023 third-rounder Tyler Steen is currently in pole position to win the job this offseason. Steen played just 71 snaps last season, though, and adding veteran insurance comes as little surprise on Philadelphia’s part.
Scharping’s small role over the past two seasons helped explain his stay on the free agent market deep into the offseason. It will also no doubt keep down the cost of this Eagles agreement. Philadelphia entered Monday with more than $26MM in cap space, so the team will easily be able to afford taking a flier on the Northern Illinois alum. Scharping will likely be tapped for a backup role if he survives roster cutdowns, but he could fill in as a guard starter if needed this season.