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The Philadelphia Eagles received some bad news on Wednesday, as offensive tackles Lane Johnson and Jordan Mailata were placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list.
Linebacker Nate Gerry was also placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list for the time being.
Eagles RT Lane Johnson, LB Nate Gerry, and OT Jordan Mailata were placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list.
— Jimmy Kempski (@JimmyKempski) July 29, 2020
Johnson is a former first-team All-Pro, and has been named to three consecutive Pro Bowls. The veteran took to Twitter to announce he had in fact tested positive for COVID-19, though he said he feels “strong and ready to go.”
— Lane Johnson (@LaneJohnson65) July 29, 2020
Gerry had a nice season in his first year as a starter, racking up 78 tackles and also finishing the campaign with five pass deflections.
Mailata, meanwhile, has not played a single snap in the NFL. However, it is expected the Eagles rookie will provide depth at the tackle spot following the loss of Brandon Brooks.
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It remains to be seen just how long each of the three players will be out of commission, though—as Johnson said—it is possible they feel physically ready.
Regardless, the Eagles will hope to get Johnson, Mailata and Gerry back in short order, particularly given training camp is nearly underway.
The Eagles are hoping to improve on a 2019 that saw Philly win the NFC East before losing to the Seattle Seahawks in the Wild Card round.
Getting another good year out of the O-line would certainly make a big difference. The Eagles' offensive line was ranked as the best unit in the NFL last season, according to Pro Football Focus.
However, the Eagles will rely slightly more on strength in numbers in Brooks' absence, meaning they will need both Johnson and Mailata to get healthy and contribute in order to have more success.
