HEADLINES

Jordan Mailata

Teams Calling Eagles On LT Andre Dillard

August 19th, 2021 at 3:53pm CST by Sam Robinson

Injuries have altered Andre Dillard‘s career path, and the third-year tackle is currently on the mend after suffering a knee sprain during training camp. The Eagles also appear prepared to hand former seventh-round pick Jordan Mailata their left tackle job.

Dillard’s murky status in Philadelphia has prompted teams to contact the Eagles regarding his potential trade availability, Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer notes. The 2019 first-round pick has not been able to stay on the field, and McLane adds Mailata was winning the left tackle competition before Dillard went down.

The Panthers just unloaded Greg Little, a tackle who went 37th overall in 2019, and received just a seventh-round pick. That would represent sobering compensation for Dillard, but he went just 15 picks earlier this year and missed all of the 2020 season. Still, it would be surprising if the Eagles — whose GM from that draft, Howie Roseman, remains in place — gave up on Dillard for that type of return. Roseman is unlikely to do so for such a price, per McLane. Roseman traded up three spots for Dillard in the ’19 draft.

Nick Sirianni has not anointed Mailata as his left tackle starter just yet, but it appears that move is coming. Despite essentially redshirting for two years to learn the NFL game, the ex-rugby player became Jason Peters‘ primary replacement last season. Mailata started 10 games, and Pro Football Focus graded him as a middle-of-the-pack tackle. Dillard missed all of last season due to a biceps tear but did not stand out in his four starts during the 2019 season. The Washington State product also battled hand trouble early in camp. Dillard is not certain to be ready for the Eagles’ Week 1 game.

Tackle depth proves elusive for many teams, so the Eagles standing down and hanging onto Dillard would make sense. They did, however, sign former Colts swing man Le’Raven Clark in May. The Eagles also used a 2020 fourth-round pick on tackle Jack Driscoll and still have versatile veteran Matt Pryor on the roster.

NFC East Notes: Eagles, Guice, Giants

July 29th, 2020 at 3:38pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Eagles will be without Lane Johnson for a while. They placed their Pro Bowl right tackle on the reserve/COVID-19 list Wednesday. Teams are not permitted to disclose whether a player tested positive or if he was placed on the list for other reasons, but Johnson tweets he did indeed test positive for COVID-19. The eighth-year right tackle will be on the shelf for a bit because of the roster designation. The reserve/COVID-19 designation is for players who have tested positive for the coronavirus or are in quarantine for potential exposure. Players must pass three coronavirus tests to return to action. Fellow tackle Jordan Mailata and linebacker Nathan Gerry also landed on Philadelphia’s reserve/COVID list.

Here is the latest from the NFC East:

  • Ahead of what could be a make-or-break season, Washington running back Derrius Guice is healthy again. The third-year player tweeted that he has been fully cleared for participation in football activities. Guice missed all of 2018 with an ACL tear and encountered multiple bouts of knee trouble last season as well. The former second-round pick has played in five of a possible 32 regular-season games and now will attempt to carve out a role for a new Washington regime.
  • Although rookies have come in at slot deals since 2011, the Eagles sweetened their second-round quarterback’s deal a bit. Jalen Hurts‘ four-year, $6.02MM rookie contract includes a $75K workout bonus in 2022 and a $100K workout bump in 2023, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The Broncos included workout bonuses in 2019 second-round pick Drew Lock‘s contract.
  • The Giants and Leonard Williams were not close on a long-term deal, and an NFL executive believes Big Blue overpaid the sixth-year defensive lineman on the $16.1MM franchise tag, Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com notes. Williams has an interesting trait of almost sacking quarterbacks, ranking 12th in QB hits (101) since 2015 but 84th in sacks in that span. As a result of the pricey tag, which makes Williams the Giants’ highest-paid player this season, an agent told Raanan that the team raised Williams’ asking price. Despite registering a half-sack in 15 games last season, Williams sought an $18-$20MM-per-year deal.
  • Ten-year veteran defensive lineman Ziggy Hood is moving into the coaching ranks. The former defensive tackle will be a Washington coaching intern this season, John Keim of ESPN.com tweets. Hood, 33, played in Washington from 2016-18.

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/21/19

September 21st, 2019 at 4:44pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Saturday’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Chicago Bears

  • Released from IR via injury settlement: G Blake Blackmar

Detroit Lions

Philadelphia Eagles

  • Promoted from practice squad: WR Greg Ward
  • Placed on IR: T Jordan Mailata

NFC East Rumors: Redskins, Eagles, Scherff

May 25th, 2019 at 8:29pm CST by Micah Powell

It was reported in February the Redskins and guard Brandon Scherff were discussing an extension but no news had trickled out since then. Scherff, however, confirmed earlier this week that talks were ongoing, NBC Sports’ JP Finlay writes.

“We’ve been talking, but I’m not really worried about that,” Scherff said. “I’m here for another year, so that’s all I’m worried about right now. Everything will take care of itself.”

Signed through 2019 via his fifth-year option, Scherff is set to make $12.5MM this season, but an extension could very well help lower Washington’s cap number heading into the season. An extension could see Scherff paid like Zack Martin and Andrew Norwell, who recently became the first guards to sign for $13MM-plus per year.

The fifth-overall pick in 2015, Scherff has justified the high-draft slot by earning two Pro Bowls in his first four seasons in the league. Though durable in his first three seasons, playing all but two possible games, the Iowa product suffered a torn pectoral in Week 8 of 2018 and was lost for the season.

Here’s more from around the NFC East:

  • Sticking with the Redskins, safety Montae Nicholson skipped the early sessions of the team’s OTAs, NBC Sports’ Peter Hailey writes. Though he showed up later, the safety’s absence turned some heads and coach Jay Gruden reportedly seemed annoyed by the situation. Nicholson is in a batter for the starting safety spot opposite the newly signed Landon Collins.
  • Though the Eagles added Cody Kessler and rookie Clayton Thorson, Nate Sudfeld is still expected to fill the No. 2 quarterback role, NBC Sports’ Andrew Kulp writes. Early in the offseason, Philadelphia gave Sudfeld a second-round tender as an RFA, which should indicate that the backup gig is his to lose despite the additions.
  • Remaining with the Eagles, it appears Jordan Mailata is ahead of Halapoulivaati Vaitai on the depth chart at tackle, NBC Sports’ Reuben Frank writes. Expected to enter 2019 as the team’s top backup tackle option, Mailata was thrown for a loop when the team took Andre Dillard in the first round. The former rugby player, however, is penciled in as the No. 2 at right tackle and Vaitai, a starter at left tackle in the Super Bowl just over a year ago, is now hoping to carve out a role at guard.

Eagles Sign Entire Draft Class

May 9th, 2018 at 4:21pm CST by Zachary Links

The Eagles have wrapped up their entire draft class, the team announced. The following rookies are now officially under contract with the defending champs: 

  • 2-49: Dallas Goedert, TE (South Dakota State)
  • 4-125: Avonte Maddox, CB (Pittsburgh)
  • 4-130: Josh Sweat, DE (Florida State)
  • 6-206: Matt Pryor, T (TCU)
  • 7-233: Jordan Mailata, T (Australia)

Goedert was the Eagles’ top pick in this year’s class after they shipped their No. 32 overall pick and a fourth-round choice (No. 132) to the Ravens for a second-rounder (No. 52), fourth-rounder (No. 125) and a second-round pick in 2019. The Ravens used the final pick in the first round on Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson. The Eagles, meanwhile, moved up from No. 52 to No 49 in a deal with the Cowboys to land Goedert.

Goedert was regarded by some as the best tight end in this year’s class, but South Carolina’s Hayden Hurst (No. 25, Ravens) and Penn State’s Mike Gesicki (No. 42, Dolphins), both went ahead of him. The South Dakota State star is now out to prove that he can dominate at a much higher level of competition. Last year, he tallied 92 receptions for 1,293 yards and eleven touchdowns.

Maddox may have a chance to contribute right off the bat following the departure of cornerback Patrick Robinson. Although he is undersized at 5’9″, evaluators say that he plays with the toughness necessary to succeed in the NFL.

Sweat, meanwhile, offers serious potential with a 4.53 second 40-yard-dash time and a track record of serious pass rushing ability. Although he tallied 12.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks last year, some teams were warded off by the injuries that sidelined him in high school and in the 2016 season.

Eagles Acquire No. 233 Pick From Patriots

April 28th, 2018 at 5:02pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Super Bowl LII opponents made an 11th-hour deal. Never averse to trade down, the Patriots moved out of the No. 233 position by trading the pick to the Eagles.

New England will receive Philadelphia’s No. 250 selection as well as a 2019 seventh-round pick, Jeff McLane of Philly.com tweets.

The Eagles selected offensive lineman Jordan Mailata, an Australia native and rugby player, with what is now their final 2018 draft choice. Philadelphia made five picks in this year’s draft — beginning at the No. 49 spot — and the last two were tackles. Four of the defending Super Bowl champions’ five selections came on Day 3.