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By James Brizuela
Contributing Writer
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The Philadelphia Eagles have been hit hard on their offensive line, as starting left tackle Jordan Mailata has been placed on IR. Mailata suffered a significant hamstring injury and will need at least the next four games to heal.
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According to Ian Rapoport, "The Eagles have placed stellar LT Jordan Mailata on Injured Reserve, knocking him out four games."
Losing Mailata is a massive blow to the offensive line, as the five-year vet has been one of the most reliable players on the team. Mailata has started 62 games for the Eagles throughout his career and started all 17 last season.
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Mailata is the anchor on the offensive line and protects quarterback Jalen Hurts' blindside. Now, Fred Johnson is expected to step up and assume the role of starter.
Johnson began his career as an undrafted free agent for the Pittsburgh Steelers. After being waived in 2019, he was claimed by the Cincinnati Bengals. Johnson would spend the rest of the 2019, 2020, and 2021 seasons with the Bengals, and was released in March 2022.
After his stint with the Bengals, Johnson was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in April 2022 but was released in Nov. of the 2022 season. He then signed with the Eagles, where he has remained.
Johnson has appeared in 50 games, with nine starts throughout his six-year career. The hope is that he can step up in a big way for Mailata, who will be out for the next four games at least.
The Eagles are taking on the New York Giants, Bengals, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Dallas Cowboys in their next four contests. Losing Mailata for this stretch will be tough, but the hope is he can return in Week 11 when the Eagles take on the Washington Commanders.
The Eagles are currently 3-2 on the season and are a game behind the 4-2 Commanders for first place in the NFC East. The Cowboys are also starting to put things together, and are currently 3-3.
The NFC East is starting to look very competitive, and losing more than two of their next four games could spell trouble for the Eagles. The NFC is stacked with talented teams in 2024, and securing a divisional win will be even more important.
Should Johnson not live up to expectations, the Eagles might be looking to trade for offensive line help before the trade deadline passes. Losing Mailata now is far better than if he were out for four games during a crucial playoff push in December.
For more on the Eagles, head to Newsweek Sports.
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