Philadelphia Eagles open practice window for starting LT Jordan Mailata
The Philadelphia Eagles opened the 21-day practice window for Jordan Mailata on Monday, clearing the way for their starting left tackle to potentially return Thursday night in a pivotal NFC East clash against the Washington Commanders.
Mailata has been on injured reserve for the team's last four games with a hamstring injury he suffered in Week 6 in the win over the Cleveland Browns.
Backup tackle Fred Johnson has filled in at left tackle with Mailata sidelined, and the Eagles haven't lost a step. The Birds are on a five-game winning streak and have won every game Mailata missed as the team sits in first place in the NFC East with a 7-2 record.
The Eagles didn't practice on Monday, one day after beating the Dallas Cowboys 34-6, but listed Mailata as a full participant in an estimation.
Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni didn't rule out Mailata returning Thursday night.
"We'll see," Sirianni said. "We'll see how this week goes of putting him in positions to see if he can do some things."
"We don't have to make a decision now," Sirianni added. "We have time. Excited that he has the possibility to be back, but you know, again, Fred has done a nice job. We'll play it by ear if Jordan's not ready, he won't go. If he's ready, he'll go, so we'll see where we are at the end of the week."
Mailata, 27, is in his fifth season with the Eagles after the team took a gamble on him in the seventh round of the 2018 NFL draft.
Mailata is rated as Pro Football Focus' third-best graded offensive tackle this season and only trailed Terron Armstead of the Miami Dolphins and Penei Sewell of the Detroit Lions. According to PFF, Mailata is also the second-best pass protector and fourth-best run-blocking tackle.
Mailata has only allowed one sack in five games this season, per PFF.
