The Philadelphia Eagles are a rare bird ... pun intended. They employ a host of elite players on both sides of the ball, with many of their their stars considered to be the very best at their respective positions.
And that goes double for the tackle spots along the offensive line.
The Eagles saw both Lane Johnson (right tackle), and Jordan Mailata (left tackle) rate in the top five of ESPN's rankings of players at their position.
And what is the rest of the league saying about the big guys?
"He's kind of the gold standard now -- technique, smarts, and probably the most instinctive of them all," an NFL executive said of Johnson. "He's a perfect product of that system. He's dealt with a lot, from mental health to injuries, and he's come out of it better than ever."
Johnson's heroics have been known for years now. The former fourth overall pick has become a Hall-of-Fame player in his own right. The longer he continues at this level of dominance, the easier it is to see him eventually enshrined in Canton.
Mailata isn't at that point in his career yet. His work, though, has been nothing short of a football miracle. A former seventh-round project who never played a down of football before being drafted, Mailata has become the poster child for a ball-of-clay prospect needing to be coached up. .... and doing the work necessary.
He certainly did all of that.
"One of the most unique players in the NFL,'' a league source said to ESPN. "Has really improved year-to-year. ...''
NFL executives around the league love what the Eagles have in their tackle duo.
It's a big reason why the team remains a Super Bowl favorite going into 2025.