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The Philadelphia Eagles activated depth offensive tackle Jordan Mailata from the reserve/COVID-19 list, according to an official announcement from the team. He’s now able to rejoin the Eagles at the NovaCare Complex.
Mailata was one of three Eagles players to originally be placed on reserve/COVID-19 list in late July. The other two — Lane Johnson and Nathan Gerry — were officially activated over the past several days. Johnson previously confirmed his coronavirus diagnosis but it’s unclear if Mailata and Gerry tested positive or were merely exposed to someone who had it. In any case, it’s good to see these players passed through protocol and are now back with the team.
With head coach Doug Pederson and passing game coordinator/quarterbacks coach Press Taylor also returning this week, the Eagles have no remaining COVID-19 related absences when it comes to players and the coaching staff. That’s encouraging.
Of course, it’s possible that the Eagles and/or other NFL teams might have some issues flare up moving forward. It’s not like these teams are in a bubble environment. The Eagles have seemingly done a good job of making their team facility as safe as possible but they can’t fully control what happens when people leave their headquarters. Pederson, for example, was believed to test positive for COVID-19 after contracting it away from the team.
Getting back to Mailata, his return is important for him. The 2018 seventh-round pick is on the roster bubble and needs to earn his spot as a backup offensive tackle.