Jordan Mailata returns to practice on limited basis

Jordan Mailata returns to practice on limited basis

Jordan Mailata will return to practice Wednesday on a limited basis, Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said.

Mailata suffered a knee sprain at the end of practice on Sept. 23 and did not play against the Cowboys or Chiefs.

Despite the injury, the Eagles kept him on the 53-man roster and off Injured Reserve, which would have forced him to miss a minimum of three games.

Sirianni wouldn’t speculate on Mailata’s chances to play against the Panthers Sunday, but just getting the 24-year-old former rugby player on the field for the first time since the injury is a significant step.

"He will be limited today and so we’re excited to get him back out there and moving around so look forward to seeing … what he can do with his limited reps today in practice,” Sirianni said before practice.

Andre Dillard, the Eagles’ 1st-round pick in 2019, made his fifth and sixth career starts in place of Mailata and played well.

With Mailata, Isaac Seumalo, Brandon Brooks and Lane Johnson all out against the Chiefs, the Eagles started Dillard, Landon Dickerson, Jason Kelce, Nate Herbig and Jack Driscoll from left to right on the o-line.

Sirianni wouldn’t speculate about possible lineup configurations against the Panthers, but if Mailata returns Sunday and Johnson remains unavailable, the Eagles could start either Dillard at left tackle and Mailata at right tackle or Mailata at left tackle and Driscoll on the right side. Driscoll, a 4th-round pick last year, played well filling in for Johnson Sunday.

Mailata got hurt 10 days after signing a four-year, $64 million contract extension that includes about $40 million in guaranteed money.

https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/eagles/eagles-jordan-mailata-returns-practice-limited-basis