When the Eagles traded for Jason Peters just days before the 2009 draft, they had a gaping hole at left tackle.
Longtime left tackle Tra Thomas had departed via free agency – the Eagles made no effort to re-sign him – and guards Shawn Andrews and Todd Herremans were penciled in as his replacement. Shawn’s brother, Stacy, had been signed as a free agent earlier that offseason, but he was slated to play right tackle.
The Eagles were coming off an NFC championship appearance, Donovan McNabb was still at quarterback, and the linemen drafted to be Thomas’ potential heirs – Winston Justice and Andrews – had been disappointments for various reasons.