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The offensive line has been a strength of the Philadelphia Eagles going back to the Andy Reid days. The franchise values tough guys in the trenches and constantly scans the waiver wire for reinforcements.
Jeff Stoutland University is always accepting applications after all. Not shockingly, the Eagles hosted veteran offensive tackle Fred Johnson for a workout on Monday. He is a four-year NFL veteran with experience blocking for Super Bowl quarterbacks Joe Burrow and Tom Brady.
UPDATE: The Eagles officially signed Johnson to the practice squad on Tuesday. They also announced that safety Andre Chachere had been promoted to the active roster.
The 6-foot-7, 325-pounder was waived by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on November 1, following a three-year stint with the Cincinnati Bengals (2019-21). He saw action in five games (1 start) for the Bengals during their 2021 Super Bowl run, although he wasn’t activated for the postseason. Originally an undrafted free agent of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Johnson swapped between guard and tackle at the University of Florida where he started 13 games as a senior in 2018.
NFL Media’s Lance Zierlein classified Johnson a “priority free agent” coming out of the 2019 draft while questioning his “lack of knee bend.” Here is a scouting report on the West Palm Beach native:
Huge guard prospect whose height and lack of knee bend tend to limit his effectiveness at a leverage-needy position. Athletic impediments make him scheme dependent as a run blocker while his sloppy hand placement prevents him from sustaining blocks and activating enough power.
However, he has show that he understands his landmarks and how to attack them. Johnson flashes an impressive ability to keep rushers in front of him with a stiff punch and adequate balance in his mirror. He has day three, backup potential.
Did Lane Johnson Announce His Retirement Date?
There was an interesting nugget buried in a recent profile on Lane Johnson, courtesy of The Inquirer’s Josh Tolentino.
The story focuses on Johnson’s work helping those dealing with mental health issues and depression, but the All-Pro right tackle casually discusses his future. In it, Johnson indicates that he could be ready for retirement at the conclusion of the 2024 season.
“To be honest with you, I’ve thought about playing this year and maybe two more,” Johnson told Tolentino. “A lot of that is because of my [three] kids. I don’t want to be away from my kids more than I already am. They’re in Oklahoma, I only see them half the year, that’s all the time I get to spend with them. That’s a drag.”
Nick Sirianni Says 8-0 is Fine, Not the Goal
The Eagles are enjoying the benefit of a mini-bye after playing on Thursday night last week. Coaches were back at the practice facility doing game prep on Tuesday, but players don’t hit the practice field again until November 10. Film study and rest are the goals over the next few days.
Before the team broke for a quick recess, head coach Nick Sirianni was asked if he had a moment to reflect on what it meant to be 8-0 at the midway point. This is the first and only Eagles team to post that mark.
“Well, I just think we went to work each day, each week, and we’ve got it done each week. That’s not an easy thing to do, each week coming out victorious,” Sirianni told reporters. “Because yeah, sure, right now 8-0 is fine, but it’s not the goal.
“Our goal … there are a lot of goals, but none of them can be accomplished unless you take care of business each week, so always our goal is to handle this week and feel good about it because we have a little bit more time to sit with it.”
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