Eagles Stay or Go 2025: Which backup OTs stick around?

Yahoo

01-03-2025

Eagles Stay or Go 2025: Which backup OTs stick around? originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Reuben Frank and Dave Zangaro bring back Stay or Go in 2025, trying to figure out the futures of every Eagles player on the roster.
We already took a look at quarterback, running back, receiver, tight end and interior offensive line.
Up today: Offensive tackle
Le'Raven Clark
Roob: You forgot about ol' Le'Raven, didn't you. Clark went on Injured Reserve in May and spent the whole year sidelined. He's a smart veteran, and Jeff Stoutland likes having him around, and Jordan Mailata has always spoken about how much he learned from Clark. But he's 31 now, coming off a serious injury and hasn't played since 2022 with the Titans and you'd think his career is most likely over at this point.
Verdict: Goes
Dave: The 31-year-old veteran hasn't played in a regular season game since 2022 and spent the entire 2024 season on IR. Clark was around throughout the season despite the injury. If Clark is healthy, there's no harm in bringing him to training camp and seeing if he can't stick around on the practice squad. But it's hard to find a spot on the 53-man roster for him.
Verdict: Goes
Jack Driscoll
Roob: Driscoll signed with the Dolphins after four years with the Eagles, got cut at the end of training camp, rejoined the Eagles, began the season on the practice squad, signed to the 53, suffered a season-ending ankle injury and then won a Super Bowl ring. Quite a season. The Eagles do like Driscoll's versatility and ability to back up multiple positions. He is a free agent, but as long as he's healthy there's no down side in bringing him back. He can do a lot of things and he won't cost much.
Verdict: Stays
Dave: There's no doubt that Jeff Stoutland likes Driscoll. There's a reason the Eagles brought him back after he was released in Miami. Driscoll ended up missing the end of the season with an ankle injury and was seen in a walking boot. So we'll need to make sure he's healthy but there's no reason to not bring him back on a one-year deal as a free agent. He won't cost much, Stoutland likes him and the Eagles like his versatility.
Verdict: Stays
Lane Johnson
Roob: Penei Sewell may have gotten 1st-team All-Pro again, but Lane Johnson is the best right tackle in the business and you can make a case that he's one of the best ever. Johnson is now a six-time Pro Bowler, a five-time All-Pro (1st team twice, 2nd team three times), a two-time Super Bowl champion and one of only seven right tackles to start three Super Bowls. He's one of six offensive tackles to make six Pro Bowls, win two Super Bowls and make 1st-team All-Pro twice. Four of the five others are all in the Hall of Fame (Forrest Gregg, Jim Parker, Art Shell, Rayfield Wright) and the only other one isn't a Hall of Famer for non-football reasons. Johnson's enthusiasm to continue playing — he turns 35 in May — is incredible news for the Eagles.
Verdict: Stays
Dave: He's 34 years old now and will be 35 going into the 2025 season but Johnson is still the best right tackle in the NFL and he isn't ready to hang them up. At this point in his career, Johnson is probably going to start thinking about things year-to-year but he wants to be back this season and that's a huge boost for the Eagles. Johnson is already a six-time Pro Bowler and has made the first or second team All-Pro squad four times. He's building his Hall of Fame resume and hasn't seemed to slow down at all. The Eagles will need him to play at that level again this season.
Verdict: Stays
Fred Johnson
Roob: Another fantastic story to come out of the Eagles' 2024 Super Bowl championship season, Johnson spent his career bouncing around from the Steelers to the Bengals to the Buccaneers – who all released him – before landing with the Eagles last year. After a year at Stoutland U, he started six games at both tackle spots this year (five left, one right) and did a fine job in his first starts since 2021 with the Bengals. Stoutland's ability to get backups ready to start is remarkable, and Johnson really established himself as a valuable piece of the NFL's best offensive line. He is a free agent but I'd expect Howie Roseman to be able to get this one done.
Verdict: Stays
Dave: Johnson was quite a find a few years ago. His career was close to over before coming to Philadelphia and learning from Jeff Stoutland. During the 2024 season, Johnson got emotional when he got a chance to play in place of Jordan Mailata. There was obviously a big drop-off from Mailata to Johnson but Big Fred held his own and played a significant role for the Super Bowl champions. The Eagles would like to bring back the 27-year-old free agent and there's a chance they might be able to do that. But there's also a chance another team might be willing to overpay for his services, in which case the Eagles would have to say goodbye. The locker room won't be the same without the jolly offensive lineman but I think there's a better chance he'll end up elsewhere.
Verdict: Goes
Jordan Mailata
Roob: Was a joke that Mailata this year didn't make his first Pro Bowl. No left tackle had a better year than Mailata, and at least he was named 2nd-team All-Pro. This was Mailata's fifth year as a starter and he's never played better. One of Howie Roseman's greatest draft triumphs – he was a 7th-round pick! – and one of Stoutland's greatest developmental triumphs as well. He's so good now it's easy to forget the guy never played an organized football game before 2018.
Verdict: Stays
Dave: We should never take the Jordan Mailata story for granted. It's still amazing that the Eagles turned a seventh-round rugby player into one of the best left tackles in the NFL. It's the kind of story that deserves Hollywood treatment and we might see it one day. Mailata will turn 28 later this month but should have at least several more years in the prime of his career. While Mailata didn't get a Pro Bowl nod this year, he was a second-team All-Pro left tackle. And PFF really loved him; they ranked him as the No. 3 overall player in the NFL in 2024. Mailata is under contract through 2028.
Verdict: Stays
Darian Kinnard
Roob: He's a three-time Super Bowl winner, but I'm not sure what that means for Kinnard's future. Kinnard, a Chief in 2022 and 2023 and an Eagle in 2024, only played in two games this year and was inactive for all four postseason games. He's a big dude at 6-5, 325 pounds, and he's cheap and he's the sort of guy Stoutland loves to develop. Not sure there's a spot for him on the 53 though.
Verdict: Goes
Dave: The Eagles were high on Kinnard when they signed him last February. While Kinnard played in just two games all season, the Eagles kept him on the roster all year, which tells you what they think of him. Kinnard (6-5, 322) seems to have some tackle-guard versatility and if the Eagles are going to lose one or two offensive linemen as free agents, Kinnard is in the pipeline for a reason. I think he sticks around and there's a chance he can move up the depth chart in 2025.
Verdict: Stays
Brett Toth
Roob: Another pet Jeff Stoutland project. He's turned Toth from an exclusive run blocker at Army into a viable NFL backup. Toth first showed up here in 2019, and he's come and gone a couple times since then, but anybody that Stoutland keeps around that long has something going for him. Toth has positional versatility and a ton of experience practicing under Stoutland. No reason to think he won't be in training camp again. But wouldn't expect to see him on the 53 when the season begins.
Verdict: Goes
Dave: The Eagles first signed Toth back in 2019. It's 2025 and Toth is still in the mix. Toth spent the 2024 season on the practice squad before getting added to the active roster in January. The Eagles like his versatility and Stoutland has put a lot of time into developing Toth into a legitimate NFL player. But I don't love Toth's chances of making the 53-man roster. Another year on the practice squad might be the way this ends up.
Verdict: Goes
Laekin Vakalahi
Roob: The Eagles' latest international exemption lifer, the Australian will once again be the Eagles' 17th practice squad member but won't see the 53-man roster.
Verdict: Goes
Dave: Vakalahi is an Australian project player who had an international roster exemption all of the 2024 season. He'll have it again in 2025 as the Eagles' 17th practice squad player. I'd anticipate the Eagles keeping him around in that role again this season but not on the 53-man roster.
Verdict: Goes
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