When it rains, it pours.
After suffering two costly injuries last Sunday against the 49ers, the Eagles now have to worry about left tackle Jordan Mailata after he suffered a new sprain in practice yesterday, per NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Dave Zangaro. Mailata was not at practice today.
While Zangaro did say Mailata is still being evaluated, it seems as though his status is doubtful for Monday night’s huge divisional showoff versus the Dallas Cowboys. The big positive, however, is that the sprain appears to not be serious enough to keep Mailata out multiple weeks:
Indications are #Eagles LT Jordan Mailata (knee) won’t play Monday against the #Cowboys and it’ll be Andre Dillard in his spot. Sources say Mailata’s absence shouldn’t be a long-term thing though.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) September 24, 2021
An Injury Couldn’t Come At A Worse Time For Mailata
Mailata is coming off a fantastic week, one where he was the highest-graded OT by Pro Football Focus with a score of 91.2. Mailata didn’t allow a single pressure, QB hit, or sack in the loss to San Francisco.
With his solid performances to open the season, Mailata’s been able to show the Eagles why they were smart to award him a four-year, $64 million extension right before the season opener.
While Mailata’s knee sprain doesn’t intially appear to be long-term, his durability is a bit worrisome. Since joining the Eagles back in 2018, Mailata has had multiple back injuries and a concussion. His health going forward will be something to watch.
Backup Andre Dillard Looks To Be Getting The Start
Currently, Andre Dillard is the backup at LT, so if Mailata can’t go, the former first-rounder will be suiting up. Dillard starting is really less than ideal given his sub-par camp and preseason performances.
Dillard will have his hands full as Cowboys’ defensive end Randy Gregory returns from the COVID/Reserve list. Gregory has 4.5 sacks and three forced fumbles in the past five games against Philadelphia.
The offensive line is also starting to look shakier after the Eagles lost right guard Brandon Brooks to a pec injury. RT Lane Johnson gave an update on Brooks, saying his recovery timeline looks to be about eight weeks.
If you think you’re experiencing deja-vu, you’re not wrong. The Eagles had a nightmare of a season last year with their OL, having to switch players in and out virtually every week due to injuries. If the starters can’t stay healthy, it looks like we might have a repeat of that scenario.
