This week, the Philadelphia Eagles will begin their quest for a second straight championship. They'll kick things off against a familiar foe that recently underwent a major change.
On Thursday night, the reigning champions will kick off the 2025 campaign by squaring off against their longtime division rival in the Dallas Cowboys. In light of recent events, the matchup's biggest storyline will be what transpired off the field.
Last Thursday, the Cowboys finally put an end to their ongoing saga with Micah Parsons. After weeks of being unable to negotiate a contract extension, Dallas traded the All-Pro linebacker to the Green Bay Package. In return, they nabbed a viable defensive piece in lineman Kenny Clark, along with two future first-round picks.
Also read:NFL Analyst Predicting Historic Season From Eagles Star Saquon Barkley
Parsons' departure drastically alters this matchup, as he is one of the NFL's top talents on the defensive side of the ball. As Dallas prepares to fill the void left by their homegrown star, one opponent didn't shy away from his true feelings on the trade.
While speaking with the media after practice on Sunday, Eagles offensive lineman Jordan Mailata was asked about the Cowboys' latest trade. He is relieved that he doesn't have to battle with such a disruptive force in Parsons. That said, Mailata didn't overlook Clark and the impact he can have on the defensive line.
"Sigh of relief," Mailata jokingly said to reporters Sunday. "I say that as a joke, but at the same time, it's just kind of crazy. The last four or five years that we've played the Dallas Cowboys, we've come up with a game plan because Micah's a gamer. It is a sigh of relief that you don't have to plan like that anymore. However, that is a talented D-line and a challenging defense. You've got to treat them with the same respect, with or without Micah Parsons. They've got Kenny Clark there. He's been in the league a long time. He's a great bloody player. So, now we've got to figure out how he affects our game plan and how we control that."
Mailata is coming off a career year with the Eagles, landing All-Pro honors and helping deliver the franchise a championship. He'll look to continue cementing himself as one of the elite talents at his position Thursday night in the season opener against the new-look Cowboys.
For more Philadelphia Eagles and NFL news, head over to Newsweek Sports.
Related Articles
2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.