THIS MIGHT LOOK like the same situation the Eagles faced last year when the projected offensive line couldn't get together for one single preseason snap.
It isn't.
This is a bigger concern.
Last season, before the season played out, the Eagles at least had hope that all would be fine once the starters got together for the season opener.
They were counting on players with proven track records.
Remember, before the season played out, guard Shawn Andrews was expected to return to Pro Bowl form.
Left tackle Jason Peters, whom the Birds acquired for a first-round pick, was considered one of the best in the game.
Tackle Stacy Andrews was a big-ticket free agent.
Center Jamaal Jackson and guard Todd Herremans were established starters.
It turned out to be fool's gold as the season played on, but beforehand, there was enough there to think it would work.
There are not many reasons to be that optimistic this season.
The problems with this offensive line and the domino effect it could have are frightening.
Forget about the development of quarterback Kevin Kolb and running back LeSean McCoy or the potential explosiveness of receivers DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin. Nothing will work if the offensive line can't come together.
I'm not sure whether offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg meant for this to be taken this way, but he was extremely insightful yesterday when he said: "I've never seen an offense that was any good at all, that wasn't really good up front, and, by that, I mean playing together as a unit and being very consistent.
"That offensive line is important to every football team, certainly ours."
The results through the first three preseason games have not been encouraging.
The line play has been so inconsistent that you'd like to see the starters play more than a little bit in Thursday's preseason finale with the New York Jets, but that won't happen.
Unlike last season - before the season played out - there is no reason to have a sense of optimism that things will simply come together once they get on the field together.
If you said a year ago that right tackle Winston Justice was the one player you could hang your hat on about the offensive line, you'd think the season was going to be a disaster.
But Justice, who had been behind the eight ball since his notoriously bad first start in 2007, stepped in at right tackle when Stacy Andrews couldn't get it done last season, and was reliable in all 16 starts.
