Jordan Mailata: From rugby to earning $100-plus million in Eagles career with new contract

The Philadelphia Eagles are signing left tackle Jordan Mailata to a three-year extension worth as much as $66 million, tying him to the team through the 2028 season.

That should push Mailata's overall earnings well over $100 million as Mailata still has two seasons remaining on his four-year deal worth as much as $64 million. ESPN was the first to report the contract terms.

More importantly, Mailata's extension keeps the Eagles' two tackles — Lane Johnson is the right tackle — under contract through at least 2026. They are the players crucial to protecting quarterback Jalen Hurts.

It's quite a journey for Mailata, who was drafted in the seventh round in 2018. He had never played organized football before that, growing up in Australia as a rugby player.

But Mailata, who's listed at 6-foot-8, 365 pounds, got too big for rugby, and thus decided to come to the United States to try football. It was a slow process, as Mailata didn't get into a game until 2020. The Eagles even used a first-round pick on a left tackle in 2019 when they selected Andre Dillard.

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In 2021, Mailata beat out Dillard for the starting job during training camp, and has been a full-time starter ever since.

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Eagles bringing back Avonte Maddox

The Eagles are also bringing back cornerback Avonte Maddox, whom they had released last month. Maddox was due to count $9.6 million on the Eagles salary cap this season before he was released.

Maddox signed a one-year deal that's expected to be worth much less. Maddox has struggled with injuries since he, too, was drafted in 2018, in the fourth round. Maddox played in only 4 games last season after tearing his pectoral muscle in Week 1. He played in 9 games in 2022, and has played in 16 games only once in his previous six seasons.

Still, Maddox is a valued nickel cornerback, a position that the Eagles struggled in last season after his injury. They tried James Bradberry, Bradley Roby, Sydney Brown and Eli Ricks there to limited success.

It's expected that Maddox and Isaiah Rodgers, who served a year-long suspension for gambling, will vie for the starting spot. Rodgers, acquired in a trade with the Indianapolis Colts, is expected to apply for reinstatement.

Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@delawareonline. Follow on X @Mfranknfl.