Jordan Mailata provides context to an ongoing Eagles debate

5 days ago 2

Despite the ups and downs of the Philadelphia Eagles' season, no one showed any visible signs of friction. That is, except for A.J. Brown. And, even when he did it, his teammates and coaches were quick to come to his defense and back him.

Some of you may not remember this now, but one of the popular theories of the recent offseason was as follows. The Eagles lost too many vital cogs on defense. They'll take a step backward, and the offense will be asked to step up and carry the weight when Vic Fangio's unit struggles.

We knew better. We told you nothing could be further from the truth. It seemed evident that those concerns had missed the mark, but here's what wasn't planned for. No one thought the offense would take a step backward.

Everyone just took for granted that they'd pick up where they left off in the Super Bowl. That's why the decision to rest the starters has some reaching for the panic button. No one seemed to ask the obvious question. What do the players feel about this decision?

Jordan Mailata has no issues with the Eagles giving the starters a week off.

Jordan Mailata wears the captain's patch for a reason. He's done nothing but earn the respect of his teammates and the Eagles' organization since his arrival.

From rugby star to one of the game's best left tackles. He has allowed two sacks in 972 pass block snaps. Yes, the offense has looked lost at times, but it seems complicated to blame any of that on him when one analyzes how he's been playing.

He was an obvious omission on the most recent Pro Bowl roster. The grind of these long NFL seasons also takes a toll. The beating has been constant, so much so that the 2024 Second-Team All-Pro recently admitted that he has had thoughts about early retirement.

So, if you're looking for someone to back any of your arguments about why the Eagles' starters should play, don't look for Mailata to cosign your theory. He won't. He's thrilled about the opportunity to take a week off this late in the season.

Some are concerned after watching this team run 17 plays during the second half of Week 17's game. They gained 17 yards in the process. No, this team never lost its confidence, but there is concern about this team's offensive readiness ahead of the postseason.

Mailata has again become one of the more powerful voices in the Eagles' locker room, so if he says 'no big deal', we'll trust him. In 2017, we asked these same questions about Nick Foles and the company. Things worked out well there. Hopefully, they'll work out well in this situation, too.

This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Jordan Mailata comments on the Eagles’ most talked-about recent issue

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