Peters is set to be the 17th highest paid offensive tackle in 2019. That’s not crazily out of whack relative to his performance. Peters ranked 35th out of 85 offensive tackles graded by Pro Football Focus in 2018. He’s clearly not the player he once was but he’s still much better than the alternative, which involves starting Halapoulivaati Vaitai, who ranked 78th.
Perhaps the Eagles feel differently, but the feeling here is that Vaitai isn’t as much of a “left tackle of the future” as he is an ideal swing tackle behind the two starters. Vaitai has obviously proven to be serviceable at times while filling in for Peters but I’m not crazy about the idea of settling at the spot that’ll be protecting Carson Wentz’s blindside.
As for Jordan Mailata, I don’t think the Eagles should really count on him as a sure thing. We’d all love for Mailata to turn into a stud left tackle, and maybe he can, but banking on that to happen seems misguided. The Eagles should prepare for the possibility that the Australian sensation doesn’t work out. He’s a total wild card.
And so I don’t think it’d be the worst idea for the Eagles to draft a potential long-term replacement for Peters in the first round. Standing at 6-5, 325 pounds, Little is certainly no small man for Jeff Stoutland to develop.
Perhaps the Eagles feel differently, but the feeling here is that Vaitai isn’t as much of a “left tackle of the future” as he is an ideal swing tackle behind the two starters. Vaitai has obviously proven to be serviceable at times while filling in for Peters but I’m not crazy about the idea of settling at the spot that’ll be protecting Carson Wentz’s blindside.
As for Jordan Mailata, I don’t think the Eagles should really count on him as a sure thing. We’d all love for Mailata to turn into a stud left tackle, and maybe he can, but banking on that to happen seems misguided. The Eagles should prepare for the possibility that the Australian sensation doesn’t work out. He’s a total wild card.
And so I don’t think it’d be the worst idea for the Eagles to draft a potential long-term replacement for Peters in the first round. Standing at 6-5, 325 pounds, Little is certainly no small man for Jeff Stoutland to develop.
Comment