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Eagles’ $356 Million OL Duo Named Favorites for Inaugural NFL Award

In one of the true postseason awards travesties of all time, across all levels of football, offensive linemen almost never got considered for individual awards like MVP or Offensive Player of the Year.

It’s a ridiculous pretense to not hear their names called year after year — it’s not like saying they should win it every year — because anyone who knows football knows having a truly transcendent offensive lineman can lift a team and define a season.

The NFL is doing its best to right those wrongs moving forward. In 2025, the NFL will give out the first award specifically for the offensive line with the NFL Protector of the Year Award, and 2 players for the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles are among the early favorites.

Philadelphia offensive right tackle Lane Johnson is at +750 odds to win the award, behind just Detroit’s Penei Sewell among the favorites.

Eagles Get Great News On All-Pro OT Lane Johnson's Future

“Even at 35 years old, Johnson continues to anchor one of the league’s best offensive lines with elite-level play,” PFF’s Mason Cameron wrote on July 2. “He posted a career-high 88.9 overall PFF grade in 2024, finishing top-10 among qualifying linemen in both pass-blocking (88.7) and run-blocking (85.4) grades. Johnson boasts one of the cleanest grading profiles of any tackle in football and remains a cornerstone of the Eagles’ top-ranked unit up front.”

Philadephia offensive left tackle Jordan Mailata was also among the favorites at +1500 odds.

“The 2024 season was a landmark year for Mailata, who earned PFF honors as not only the league’s best run blocker but also the highest-graded offensive lineman overall,” Cameron wrote. “His 95.2 PFF grade led the NFL by a wide margin and ranked as the second-highest recorded by PFF among all offensive linemen since 2015.”

How Australia's Jordan Mailata is on the cusp of Super Bowl glory with the  Philadelphia Eagles - ABC News

There is no one — NO ONE — who secures the bag for their offensive line like Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie.

Through the 2028 season, Lurie will have dropped a combined $356.5 million in career payouts to Johnson and Mailata, who are both under contract through then.

Johnson, who signed a 1-year, $25 million contract extension on March 17, is due an incredible $41.7 million in 2026 and will have $223.6 million in career earnings if he plays out his entire contract, which is a long shot as he’ll be 35 years old during the upcoming season. Johnson, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2013 NFL draft, has won 2 Super Bowls with the Eagles. He’s also a 5-time NFL All-Pro and 6-time Pro Bowler.

Mailata signed a 3-year, $66 million contract extension in April 2024 and responded by earning NFL All-Pro honors for the first time.

Mailata and Johnson aren’t the only offensive linemen on the roster getting super-duper paid. Center Cam Jurgens also signed a massive deal with a 4-year, $68 million contract extension on April 21 after being selected to his first Pro Bowl in 2024.

Need more evidence Lurie values offensive linemen above all others? Right guard Landon Dickerson signed a 4-year, $84 million contract extension in March 2024.

If all 4 current offensive linemen play out their deals, Lurie will have paid them a combined $531 million in salary at the end of the 2029 season.

That buys a lot of pancakes. 

Packers' Star QB Refuses MVP Title to Fully Focus on Team in Tough Phase
Can you believe it? Jordan Love, the "red-hot" quarterback of the Green Bay Packers, is on track to compete for MVP with +1000 odds at DraftKings – but this guy is "refusing" personal glory to pour all his energy into the team struggling with a "hellish" schedule! Is this a heroic act or just a ploy? Read now to uncover the "truth" behind it! In the Super Bowl era, the Packers have produced three MVP legends: Bart Starr (1966), Brett Favre (1995-1997), and Aaron Rodgers (2011, 2014, 2020, 2021). Now, Jordan Love has a chance to become the fourth, putting the Packers on par with the Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts – the only team with four QB MVPs like Johnny Unitas, Earl Morrall, Bert Jones, and Peyton Manning. With his current "explosive" form, Love ranks fourth in the NFL for passer rating (105.4), tied for fifth in touchdown passes (22), with only four interceptions – the fewest among QBs starting all 13 games, and a 67.1% completion rate ranking seventh. But instead of "dreaming" of MVP, Love seems to be "rejecting" it! In a recent interview, he emphasized: "These are the most important games of the season, obviously with a lot of things coming down to playoff seeding and the division race, so this is the important football. I think it’s everybody, we keep stacking and keep getting better and better throughout the season and learn from the mistakes we make and overcome some of the obstacles. Just keep stacking and trying to find ways to get better every day is something that’s been helping us." These words are like a clear "declaration": Love doesn't care about MVP, but only wants to focus on the team in its "tough phase" with a 9-3-1 record, trailing the Rams (10-3) in the NFC. Head coach Matt LaFleur also "sings along": "Yeah, he’s playing really good football right now. That’s obviously important and it’s going to be important moving forward." And offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich praises the consistency: "I would say just the consistency that he’s had has been great... Just being a consistent, efficient quarterback is one thing that I’ve been really pleased with." But it's Packers defensive end Micah Parsons who "reveals" why Love deserves but is "overlooking" MVP: "I definitely think he deserves recognition... If you go off strength of schedule, how he's played and with him missing half his receivers, I think that goes unnoticed, too. Some of the things he did without (Christian Watson) early in the year, then (Jayden Reed), so this guy was missing two of his starting receivers majority of the year and they're just now getting back in these last eight weeks of the stretch, so I definitely think he deserves a lot more credit and I'm just happy I'm able to be a part of this journey with him." Currently, Matthew Stafford of the Rams leads the MVP race with -180 odds, 35 touchdown passes (far ahead of Dak Prescott with 26), passer rating 113.1, and only four interceptions. Drake Maye of the Patriots follows with +200, passer rating 111.9, 3,412 passing yards, and 23 touchdowns. Love, with a four-game winning streak (nine touchdowns, one interception, passer rating 112.1), could stage a comeback if he maintains "red-hot form" – especially in the upcoming two "epic" games: away at Denver (11-2) and Chicago (9-4). If the Packers leap to the NFC's No. 1 seed (likely needing a 4-0 finish), while the Rams stumble against Detroit (8-5) and Seattle (10-3), or the Patriots slip against Buffalo (9-4) and Baltimore (6-7), Love would have a shot at MVP. But with his "humble" attitude, does Love really want to "accept" that title? Or is he sacrificing personally to save the Packers from the "tough phase"? The 2025 NFL drama is "hotter than ever"! Do you think Love is "playing a trick" to motivate the team? Comment now and follow for the "shocking" outcome of the MVP race!