The Howie Roseman-era Eagles have been known to act early on offensive line contracts. This offseason has brought more work in that direction. After a record-setting Landon Dickersonextension, the team has an agreement with Jordan Mailata.
Already signed to an extension, Mailata now has a more lucrative deal coming his way. The Eagles are giving their veteran left tackle a three-year, $66M deal, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter reports. Mailata’s new contract will include a $48M guarantee. This continues one of the NFL’s more remarkable success stories, as Mailata is a former seventh-round pick who transitioned from rugby.
This provides a nice raise for Mailata, who was tied to a four-year, $64M extension signed in 2021. This new pact places Mailata in the top five among earners at his position. Only Laremy Tunsil, Andrew Thomas and Trent Williams surpass this AAV. Considering the Eagles have Dickerson at a now-guard-record $21M per year, this marks a tremendous commitment on a line that still houses stalwart right tackle Lane Johnson.
The Eagles extended Dickerson early in his first year of eligibility, but Mailata had two seasons left on his previous contract. That deal no longer included guarantees, and the Eagles have seen Mailata become a high-level left tackle since giving him the keys. Pro Football Focus graded Mailata as the No. 3 overall tackle last season, viewing his pass- and run-blocking numbers as among the best. Over the past three years, Mailata has landed in the advanced metrics site’s top 10 at the position.
In the past two seasons, ESPN’s run block win rate metric has ranked Mailata second. Last year, the Eagles’ tackles ranked first and second in this area. Although Jason Kelce‘s retirement brings a new challenge for the Eagles, their offensive line will present Saquon Barkley with a wildly improved setup compared to the lines he ran behind as a Giant. The Eagles are paying up for it as well and doing so despite having Jalen Hurts in the $50M-AAV club.
Mailata’s ascent doubles as one of the most unlikely in NFL history. The Eagles took a flier on the 6-foot-8 Australian in the 2018 seventh round, and the rugby convert sat for two full seasons developing behind Jason Peters. While the team traded up to make Andre Dillard their Jason Peters heir apparent in the 2019 first round, Mailata proved readier for the gig instead. The 365-pound tackle did not play in 2018 or ’19, spending the latter season on IR. When Peters went down early during the 2020 season, Mailata stepped in and began his climb to this point. The Eagles turned Dillard into a swing tackle and let him walk in 2023.
Despite being in the NFL for six seasons, Mailata only turned 27 last month. The ascending tackle should have a chunk of his prime remaining on this third contract. The Eagles now have three blockers tied to $20M-AAV deals, representing new territory for O-line investments. Johnson remains attached to a $20M-per-year extension he agreed to in 2023. The Eagles are proponents of void years, using four on Mailata’s previous deal. It would seem likely, given the team’s expenses on an offense that also includes upper-crust deals for A.J. Brown and Dallas Goedert — that more voids are present in this contract.
Having seen the likes of Peters, Kelce, Isaac Seumalo and Brandon Brooks depart, the Eagles have successfully reloaded. While Johnson remains the senior presence up front, the Eagles finding Mailata and Dickerson has been integral to their Hurts-era success. Beyond Johnson, Mailata is the Eagles’ oldest O-line starter.
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