The Philadelphia Eagles are getting healthier on the offensive side of the ball, even though they won't have Pro Bowl right tackle Lane Johnson for the second time in three weeks. Johnson, who was listed as questionable on the injury report for "Sunday Night Football," will not play against the Dallas Cowboys, per Fox Sports NFL Insider Jay Glazer.
Johnson is battling knee and ankle injuries and was added to the injury report Sunday after his knee swelled up. Johnson has also battled an ankle injury all season after having surgery in August to stabilize a high-ankle sprain that has plagued him for years. The Eagles right tackle has been playing through an injury that needs weeks of rest for a full recovery, but doesn't need surgery. Philadelphia is on its bye week next week, which will give Johnson an extra week to recover from this latest setback. he will have missed three of the past four games.
Jordan Mailata is projected to start at right tackle while Jason Peters will move back to his spot at left tackle. Peters was activated from injured reserve this week from a toe injury, while Mailata played well in his absence. Mailata took first-team reps at right tackle in practice earlier this week while Johnson was absent from practice Wednesday.
If Johnson would have played, Mailata was projected to be the odd man out as Peters was expected to resume playing left tackle this week -- an interesting decision by Eagles head coach Doug Pederson given the improvements Mailata has made in the four games he's started.
"Jordan has played well, and sometimes -- I'll say this: I go back to Nelson Agholor a few years ago, and an opportunity for him to kind of see big picture himself," Pederson said. "And listen, don't take me wrong here; I love where Jordan's at. I love where his growth is, right?
"But at the same time, sometimes if Jason Peters starts at left tackle, it allows Jordan to see big picture, as well, and kind of step back and observe that way and sometimes that helps young players, too. But whatever the decision is there at left tackle and really the whole offensive line, these guys are prepared, they are excited, and they are ready to go. We are playing a really good front and it's going to take all those guys to put up a good performance."
With Johnson out, Mailata won't be learning from the sidelines against the Cowboys.
