There hasn't been much good about the Philadelphia Eagles' 2026 season, but left tackle Jordan Mailata has been one of the few bright spots, though no one is talking about him.
Philly's offensive line has been slammed with injuries, trades, retirements, and lineup changes all year. This has led to widespread criticism that the line is among its worst in a long time.
The Eagles have rolled out many young, inexperienced linemen like Willie Lampkin, Drew Kendall, Jake Majors, and Markel Bell. They have even seen veterans like Landon Dickerson struggle mightily in certain areas, like pass protection. One thing is constant: Mailata is doing his job incredibly well.
Jordan Mailata needs to be praised for how he has played in 2026 with the Eagles
It's been a wild season for Mailata, as he's dealt with a lot. He's had to play with three different left guards this year: Dickerson, Cam Jurgens, and Lampkin. That has led to some inconsistencies on the left side of the line, as Mailata has had to bail out the left guards when they have been in trouble.
Lane Johnson's sudden retirement left a hole in the offensive line room's leadership. With so many young players on the roster, Mailata stepped up and helped be the vocal leader the franchise needed.
Looking at his performance, though, it's been impressive how well he's played under the circumstances. In 284 pass-blocking snaps, Mailata has allowed eight pressures, two quarterback hits, and one sack, and has been called on three penalties this season.
Pro Football Focus gave him an overall grade of 83, ranking him fourth out of 71 eligible offensive tackles. He also has a pass-blocking grade of 86.1 (ranked third) and a run-blocking grade of 77.2 (ranked 12th).
Jordan Mailata deserves to be a first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowler for the first time
The reality is that Mailata won't get recognized for what he's done this season. One, he'sFirst always overlooked, with no Pro Bowl selections, and has been a second-team All-Pro twice. Two, the Eagles' offensive line has struggled so much that Mailata will be forgotten.
It's a shame, because Mailata is having the best season of his career. Sure, he may be taking on a bit more pressure at this point in the season than usual. Remember, he is the reason the left guard position has not been a complete disaster. He has covered many of the mistakes made there.
No one watches what an offensive lineman does on the field, but everyone should see what Mailata is doing. Sometimes he does multiple jobs at once to help his linemen and protect his quarterback. He has taken the initiative to help his team, and it may not show in the record, but he is playing up the football.
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If things keep going as they are, this will be a forgotten year in the Eagles' history because of how bad the season was. One thing that shouldn't be forgotten or taken for granted, though, is how good Mailata was during this transitional time, and he deserves his praise.
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