Jordan Mailata has played well enough to earn two extensions, becoming one of this era’s premier offensive line development stories. Mailata’s work on his third Eagles contract will be on hold for a stretch, however.
Philadelphia’s left tackle will miss time due to the hamstring injury he sustained in Week 6, Nick Sirianni said Monday. Mailata is expected to miss multiple games because of the issue, which will prompt some rearranging on the Eagles’ front. Exiting the stadium on crutches, Mailata could be an IR candidate. Though, Sirianni stopped short of indicating that will ultimately be necessary.
Mailata has not missed multiple games in a season since 2021, when he missed three. The Australian blocker played every Eagles game last season and missed just one in 2022. This will be a bit more of a speedbump for the talented lineman, who signed a three-year, $66MM extension this offseason.
The Eagles moved Fred Johnson into Mailata’s blindside spot Sunday but have some options if they want to take another route. Philly rosters former Jets first-round tackle Mekhi Becton but has slotted him at right guard. Becton won the team’s RG position out of training camp, beating out Tyler Steen. Becton struggled for much of his Jets tenure at left tackle, though he did submit a promising rookie season. His issues — largely health-related — led to a modest market forming; Becton signed a one-year, $2.75MM deal. He would be in line for a far better accord in 2025, should the fifth-year O-lineman stay healthy.
Steen had been expected to win Philly’s RG job, being drafted in the 2023 third round and groomed to take over when Jason Kelce‘s retirement pushed Cam Jurgens to center. Becton’s arrival introduced a complication for Steen, who has played 66 offensive snaps this season after logging only 71 throughout the 2023 campaign.
A Becton move would depend on the Eagles’ view of Johnson, who has been with the Eagles since 2022. The Eagles added the former Steelers UDFA midway through the ’22 season. Johnson played in all 17 games as a backup last season and started one this year, filling in for Lane Johnson at RT. Fred Johnson has nine NFL starts on his resume; the first eight all came from 2019-21, giving the Eagles a decision to make.
Season over for Eagles. Lost best player and a head coach who has no clue. Time for a rebuild.
Moron