Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good.
The Eagles' DNA as an organization since Andy Reid arrived in 1999 has never really wavered. Other than the obvious (quarterback), Philadelphia's foundation is always up front on both sides of the football.
The post-Jason Peters plan on the left side of the offensive line was supposed to be 2019 first-round pick Andre Dillard outside of emerging left guard Isaac Seumalo, a duo that could start for a number of NFL teams come September.
In Philadelphia, however, Dillard is a backup to the rapidly ascending Jordan Mailata and Seumalo is moving to the right side after 2021 second-round pick Landon Dickerson seized control of the LG spot.
Together, Mailata and Dickerson equal 697 listed pounds that often moved opposing defensive lines at will last season, helping the Eagles' offense become the No. 1 ranked rushing unit in the NFL last season.
If there was any doubt or assumption that the Eagles would try to fix what isn't broken due to their imposing depth on the O-Line that was quickly extinguished by GM Howie Roseman during draft weekend.
“For us, going through the season and seeing Landon and Jordan next to each other, I mean, that's imposing,” Roseman said. “We felt like the chemistry that they had developed going forward and how young those guys are, just developing that left side [is the way to go]."
Roseman even compared the duo to the now-retired Brandon Brooks and Lane Johnson, who were the best right side in the NFL when at their peak as a duo.
"We've seen something like that when we played really well [on the right side] when we had Brandon and Lane," said Roseman. " ... we kind of looked at where we were and saw how powerful that side is and how important that was going forward and the chemistry that they developed, we felt like going forward that was the right thing for us to keep that way.”
Mailata talked about that chemistry between him and Dickerson last week.
“We have a good bromance going on,” the always charismatic Australian said. “If it’s not eating, we’re golfing. If it’s not golfing, it’s bowling. If it’s not bowling … shoot … I don’t know what else. If anybody has any suggestions of what we should do, let me know.”
For now, Dickerson is the more experienced and better golfer, according to Mailata, and is even the bigger hitter off the tee despite being "only" 332 pounds compared to Mailata's listed weight of 365, which actually reached closer to 380 last season.
Mailata, of course, has developed from a football novice into the third-best OT in the NFL last season per Pro Football Focus while Dickerson returned from a torn ACL late in his final college season at Alabama to slowly develop into one of the better left guard prospects in the NFL.
Had Dickerson not been injured, he might have been a first-round pick in 2021 but fell a bit and the Eagles selected the North Carolina native at No. 37 overall.
Because of his versatility, there was a thought Dickerson could be the long-term heir apparent to Pro Bowl center Jason Kelce, and Dickerson got his first taste of NFL playing time at RG due to a Brooks pec injury last season.
Once Seumalo suffered a Lisfranc injury, Dickerson kicked to the left side and essentially Wally Pipp-ed Seumalo, who will now have to compete with the developing Jack Driscoll at RG.
More dominoes fell this offseason in the form of Brooks' retirement and the drafting of Cam Jurgens at No. 51 overall, the new heir to the Kelce thrown.
All the other shuffling, however, is to keep the left side intact for as long as possible.
“First of all, that’s a very high regard,” Mailata said when asked about Roseman's intent of keeping him and his golfing buddy together for the foreseeable future and comparing them to Johnson and Brooks, two consistent Pro Bowl-level players. “Really honored that Howie said that."
The goal now is to make sure Roseman continues to be validated by the play on the field by the two fast friends.
For Mailata that starts before he, Dickerson and the rest of their teammates even get to the NovaCare Complex.
“What you do off the field and building that brotherhood, brotherly love, off the field. If you can carry that on the field because you start to love that person as your brother," Maillata said. "That’s how I see everyone in my locker room. I love them as a brother. And when I play for my family, it makes me want to push harder and faster. ... I just want to push that extra limit so I can get stuff done.”
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