The Philadelphia Eagles may have learned a lesson from the 2025 season when it comes to their offensive line — it’s good to have a lot of depth.
The Eagles made a move to shore up that depth on Tuesday by re-signing offensive tackle Fred Johnson after he started a career-high 8 games in 2025, filling in for NFL All-Pro right offensive tackle Lane Johnson.
“The Eagles are re-signing OL Fred Johnson to a one-year deal, per source,” NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero wrote on his official X account.
Coming back to the Eagles is a huge bonus for the team but represents a pretty big setback for Fred Johnson, who talked a big game headed into free agency.
“I feel like I proved this year that I’m a starter in this league,” Johnson told PennLive’s Johnny McGonigal in January. “I don’t think there’s any going back now. There’s no going back to the swing tackle role, the guy who fills in. I think I’ve shown that I’m a starter, and I’m here to get what I deserve.”
It turns out the free agency market wasn’t what Johnson thought it would be, and he’s back with the Eagles … where he could very well be the swing tackle or the swing guard once again.
Eagles Won Super Bowl With Fred Johnson on Roster
The Eagles felt strongly enough about Johnson to bring him back after he left in free agency for a 1-year deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2025, sending a 7th round pick to the Jaguars to get Johnson back right before the start of the regular season.
“Another Eagles trade: Jaguars are sending OT Fred Johnson back to Philadelphia in exchange for a 2026 seventh-round pick, per sources,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter wrote on his official X account on August 24. “Johnson now returns to the team he played for from 2022-‘24.”
Fred Johnson: From UDFA to Lengthy NFL Career
Johnson, 6-foot-7 and 326 pounds, made 32 starts in 4 seasons at the University of Florida but went undrafted in 2019.
Johnson signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent and then spent 3 seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals, including on an AFC Championship team in 2021.
In 2022, he played the first part of the season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before coming to the Eagles, where he’s been a reliable backup and more. Johnson has played in every regular season game over the last 2 seasons — 34 consecutive games — including a career high 6 starts in 2024 on the way to winning the Super Bowl.
He signed a 1-year, $1.33 million contract with the Jaguars in March 2025.
Johnson’s versatility could be the key to helping the Eagles in 2026. He started the majority of his college career at guard and has played both guard and tackle in the NFL.
The Eagles’ offensive line is dealing with some serious doubts in 2026 after falling flat in 2025 due to injuries and poor play. The most shining example was the drop off for star running back and 2024 Offensive Player of the Year Saquon Barkley.
In 2024, Barkley became just the 9th player in NFL history to rush for over 2,000 yards in a single season — doing so in just 16 games before he sat out the regular-season finale.
In 2025, Barkley saw those numbers take a massive dip as he rushed for just 1,140 yards and saw his 5.8 yards per carry drop to 4.1 yards per carry.
Eagles Bring Back Versatile 6-foot-7, 326-Pound Offensive Lineman