I've been wondering what the Eagles plan is for this guy. They have stashed him twice now, so my assumption is they like him and want to take the time to teach him the game. So I went searching for info. Here's a pre free agency piece I found.
EAGLES
SPORTS
Jordan Mailata remains biggest piece to Eagles OL depth puzzle
By NICK FIERRO
THE MORNING CALL |
FEB 13, 2020 | 9:32 AM
| PHILADELPHIA
If all goes according to plan, Philadelphia Eagles backup tackle Jordan Mailata will go through his third season in 2020 just like he did in his first two: without playing a snap.
Yet he figures to be a key component on the team they’re reshaping this offseason.
Top swing tackle Halapoulivaati Vaitai likely is headed for free agency, Andre Dillard probably will start on the left side and Matt Pryor is looked at as more of a guard than a tackle.
Barring moves in free agency or the draft, that leaves Mailata, who had each of his first two seasons cut short by trips to the injured reserve list with a cranky back that is not nearly as bad as could be interpreted.
He lasted until mid-December before they had to make that move in his rookie year. Last season, he was simply stashed there after they were essentially forced to do the same in September because of so many injuries to other positions.
“I was ready to go again in three weeks,” he said.
And for those worried that the inability to practice during all that time on injured reserve has stunted the growth of someone who never played the sport before the Eagles drafted him in 2018, the 6-foot-8, 350-pound Aussie giant has a message: He’ll be ready.
Mailata actually was hurt more by the anguish that came with the 2019 season than anything else.
“Not being able to have any impact just took a mental toll on me,” Mailata said the day after their playoff loss to Seattle last month.
But nobody on the team wants to be great more than Mailata, who played rugby before having the benefit of learning from one of the NFL’s finest offensive line coaches in Jeff Stoutland and two of the NFL’s finest tackles in Lane Johnson and Jason Peters.
Mailata learned the left side in his first season and the right side in his second, after Dillard was drafted in the first round to eventually replace Peters and be their left tackle of the future.
Eagles tackle Jordan Mailata holds off Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Lyndon Johnson, 92, in a preseason game.
Eagles tackle Jordan Mailata holds off Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Lyndon Johnson, 92, in a preseason game.(Phelan M. Ebenhack/AP)
He believes he’ll be completely ready to plug in and play in 2020, despite all the lost time in 2019.
Exceptional offensive line depth was a driving force behind three straight trips to the playoffs and a 4-2 postseason record for the Eagles over the previous three seasons.
Just look at Vaitai. Though never a starter other than for injury reasons, he has started 20 regular-season games and four postseason games in his four years. He’s played a total of 2,359 snaps with the offense alone.
Now that BIg V is headed for possible starter’s money, the ability of Mailata to take over that role will be vital.
The irony is that Mailata believes the drafting of Dillard helped his progress.
“No lie, I think this was the best thing that they could have done for me on this,” Mailata said. “I understand the game now like the back of my hand because I had to learn it all again, but this time it wasn’t like I was unfamiliar with the terms and techniques. So it was easier for me to pick up the right side and learn the game of football even more.”
The time away from the practice field was spent learning other necessities.
“It was a blessing in disguise,” he said. “It gave me more time to focus on understanding my body, and that’s pretty much what we did this year. We really took this year to understand my body and how to manipulate it and how to use it, how to distribute your weight. So it was really just an educational experience for me this year.”
Furthermore, Mailata has embraced vertical sets, the most complicated pass protection technique to master because so much can go wrong when creating so much space for the pass rusher before initial contact.
“At first it was very awkward and uncomfortable,” he said, “but the more practice you get, the easier it is to get comfortable. And this year, like I said, understanding your body, like how to manipulate that weight and distribute the power, my pad level has been lowered.”
The pad level is the only part of Mailata’s game that is lower these days.
“He wants to be great,” Johnson said. “He’s doing everything it takes and he has all the tools.”
What this portends for Mailata’s long-term future in Philadelphia is unclear. Dillard is not likely to be going anywhere for a long time, Johnson is still in his prime at age 29 and Mailata’s contract will be up at the end of the 2021 season.
Yet Mailata’s third season will be the most crucial. If he can play, big money and a starting job will eventually find him.
For now, it’s just a matter of focusing on the present and his role and controlling what he can control.
To that end, he’s done a marvelous job, according to Stoutland.
“I like his attitude,” Stoutland said. "He’s not in the tank, he’s not walking around with his head down. He’s really actually chipper, positive. He’s in that room every day with his notebook, taking notes.
“I ask him questions and he’s right on point. So I like what he’s doing right now.”
EAGLES
SPORTS
Jordan Mailata remains biggest piece to Eagles OL depth puzzle
By NICK FIERRO
THE MORNING CALL |
FEB 13, 2020 | 9:32 AM
| PHILADELPHIA
If all goes according to plan, Philadelphia Eagles backup tackle Jordan Mailata will go through his third season in 2020 just like he did in his first two: without playing a snap.
Yet he figures to be a key component on the team they’re reshaping this offseason.
Top swing tackle Halapoulivaati Vaitai likely is headed for free agency, Andre Dillard probably will start on the left side and Matt Pryor is looked at as more of a guard than a tackle.
Barring moves in free agency or the draft, that leaves Mailata, who had each of his first two seasons cut short by trips to the injured reserve list with a cranky back that is not nearly as bad as could be interpreted.
He lasted until mid-December before they had to make that move in his rookie year. Last season, he was simply stashed there after they were essentially forced to do the same in September because of so many injuries to other positions.
“I was ready to go again in three weeks,” he said.
And for those worried that the inability to practice during all that time on injured reserve has stunted the growth of someone who never played the sport before the Eagles drafted him in 2018, the 6-foot-8, 350-pound Aussie giant has a message: He’ll be ready.
Mailata actually was hurt more by the anguish that came with the 2019 season than anything else.
“Not being able to have any impact just took a mental toll on me,” Mailata said the day after their playoff loss to Seattle last month.
But nobody on the team wants to be great more than Mailata, who played rugby before having the benefit of learning from one of the NFL’s finest offensive line coaches in Jeff Stoutland and two of the NFL’s finest tackles in Lane Johnson and Jason Peters.
Mailata learned the left side in his first season and the right side in his second, after Dillard was drafted in the first round to eventually replace Peters and be their left tackle of the future.
Eagles tackle Jordan Mailata holds off Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Lyndon Johnson, 92, in a preseason game.
Eagles tackle Jordan Mailata holds off Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Lyndon Johnson, 92, in a preseason game.(Phelan M. Ebenhack/AP)
He believes he’ll be completely ready to plug in and play in 2020, despite all the lost time in 2019.
Exceptional offensive line depth was a driving force behind three straight trips to the playoffs and a 4-2 postseason record for the Eagles over the previous three seasons.
Just look at Vaitai. Though never a starter other than for injury reasons, he has started 20 regular-season games and four postseason games in his four years. He’s played a total of 2,359 snaps with the offense alone.
Now that BIg V is headed for possible starter’s money, the ability of Mailata to take over that role will be vital.
The irony is that Mailata believes the drafting of Dillard helped his progress.
“No lie, I think this was the best thing that they could have done for me on this,” Mailata said. “I understand the game now like the back of my hand because I had to learn it all again, but this time it wasn’t like I was unfamiliar with the terms and techniques. So it was easier for me to pick up the right side and learn the game of football even more.”
The time away from the practice field was spent learning other necessities.
“It was a blessing in disguise,” he said. “It gave me more time to focus on understanding my body, and that’s pretty much what we did this year. We really took this year to understand my body and how to manipulate it and how to use it, how to distribute your weight. So it was really just an educational experience for me this year.”
Furthermore, Mailata has embraced vertical sets, the most complicated pass protection technique to master because so much can go wrong when creating so much space for the pass rusher before initial contact.
“At first it was very awkward and uncomfortable,” he said, “but the more practice you get, the easier it is to get comfortable. And this year, like I said, understanding your body, like how to manipulate that weight and distribute the power, my pad level has been lowered.”
The pad level is the only part of Mailata’s game that is lower these days.
“He wants to be great,” Johnson said. “He’s doing everything it takes and he has all the tools.”
What this portends for Mailata’s long-term future in Philadelphia is unclear. Dillard is not likely to be going anywhere for a long time, Johnson is still in his prime at age 29 and Mailata’s contract will be up at the end of the 2021 season.
Yet Mailata’s third season will be the most crucial. If he can play, big money and a starting job will eventually find him.
For now, it’s just a matter of focusing on the present and his role and controlling what he can control.
To that end, he’s done a marvelous job, according to Stoutland.
“I like his attitude,” Stoutland said. "He’s not in the tank, he’s not walking around with his head down. He’s really actually chipper, positive. He’s in that room every day with his notebook, taking notes.
“I ask him questions and he’s right on point. So I like what he’s doing right now.”
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