BREAKING: Eagles Land Two-Time Super Bowl Champ in an Emergency Trade Amid Injury Crisis
On Friday, the Philadelphia Eagles announced four players were out for their Week 7 game against the New York Giants. Tight end Dallas Goedert (hamstring), offensive tackle Jordan Mailata (hamstring), cornerback Eli Ricks (groin), and defensive tackle Byron Young will all miss Sunday’s game. Darius Slay, a cornerback, is questionable. Mailata’s injury news on Friday was worse than just being ruled out for Week 7; the team placed the seven-year veteran on injured reserve. Fred Johnson is scheduled to play in place of Mailata against the Giants. Johnson has allowed two sacks in 76 pass-blocking attempts, according to Pro Football Focus. PFF graded the 27-year-old offensive lineman with nine career starts a 50.5 overall grade for his performance this season.
Donovan Smith, a former Tampa Bay Buccaneers draft pick, remains a free agent this season. He won Super Bowl 55 with the Buccaneers and Super Bowl 58 with the Kansas City Chiefs in February. Smith, who has started all 136 games of his career, would be a significant upgrade at left tackle for the Eagles until Jordan Mailata returns.
He would also provide crucial depth as a swing tackle in case either Mailata or Lane Johnson faces injuries later in the season or playoffs. With major investments in Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown, and DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia needs to ensure strong protection for their quarterback to maintain a successful passing attack. The Eagles currently have over $11 million in cap space, allowing them to potentially sign Smith by Week 8 and still have room for additional moves at the trade deadline or later in the season.