Jordan Mailata Is Holding The Eagles’ Young Offensive Linemen To A High Standard

PHILADELPHIA — There’s been quite the upheaval in the Eagles’ offensive line this week. On Tuesday, legendary right tackle Lane Johnson called it a career. Wednesday two-time Pro Bowl center turned left guard Cam Jurgens was dealt to Baltimore, and new starting center Drew Kendall showed up on the practice report as a non-participant with a knee issue.

By Thursday, Kendall was still out and the likely OL from left to right Sunday in London against Jacksonville is Jordan Mailata, Willie Lampkin, Jake Majors, Tyler Steen and Markel Bell.

If that’s the case, Lampkin and Majors would be making their first NFL starts against the powerful Jaguars.

Impressing others

Running back Dameon Pierce, elevated from the practice squad this week with Saquon Barkley and Tank Bigsby injured, has had a bird’s-eye view of the transformation and raved about star left tackle Jordan Mailata's leadership in difficult times.

“They’re looking good,” Pierce said. “Our O-line coaches make sure we spend extra time, you know, pass pro, the run game, whatever, especially the young guys. They’re younger, and Jordan’s doing a great job leading those guys.

“Before every snap, Jordan is overemphasizing the call, making sure he’s echoing it, making sure they’re echoing it. Just trying to lead by example on that end. So kudos to Jordan, bro.”

Pierce said the communication does not stop with Mailata. With Mailata at left tackle and Steen at right guard, whatever is missed in the huddle gets repeated so the younger linemen land on the same page.

Mailata said the message itself is not new. What has changed is the weight of it to those who've not been in a position to implement it.

“Not much different,” Mailata said when asked by Eagles On SI about the extra emphasis. “We went through a lot, but I’m just echoing the same messages that I’ve echoed the last four weeks: no one’s gonna save us. We’ve gotta fix this ourselves.

“It doesn’t matter who was in there, we’re gonna correct it. We’re gonna hold you to a high standard. And if we need to practice longer, if we need to get more reps together, if I need to stay in instead of doing my protocol so I can get reps with that person, that’s what we’re gonna do.”

While the message is the same, Mailata did acknowledge the inexperience of those receiving it has complicated things.

“It’s the same message. I just think it means a little more now, because the realization that this is such a cutthroat league and that things can change so fast,” said Mailata.

Mailata called the week bittersweet. The Eagles lost two veterans the room was close to. The openings that followed have forced younger players to treat the next snap as their own.

“We lost two of our vets, two guys that we’re close with,” he said. “But now it’s put us in a situation where guys are like, ‘Well, s--- now I’m here. It’s my turn now. What am I gonna do with this opportunity?’

“We have guys who are like, ‘We’re sad. We’re in our feelings about missing our friends,’ but then now you’re like, ‘Oh, wow, I’m in now.’ Like Willie. He’s in now. And he’s not thinking about Lane, he’s not thinking about Can. He’s thinking about, ‘I need to take advantage of this opportunity,’ and he knows that.

“And he has.”

Lampkin, the undersized former undrafted lineman out of North Carolina via Coastal Carolina, has been working with the starters at left guard in Jurgens’ place. Bell, the 2026 third-round tackle, is in line to start at right tackle after Johnson’s retirement. Kendall, a 2025 fifth-round pick, has been the center but Majors, a 56-game starter in college at Texas, is in line to be elevated from the practice squad if Kendall can’t go.

Pierce noticing the work from outside the position group landed with Mailata.

“It’s cool. It’s pretty cool,” the star left tackle said. “I try my best to lead by example. I try to do it with humility and have fun with it. So to be recognized by someone who’s not even in that position, who doesn’t hear me every time, that’s pretty cool.”

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