The Philadelphia Eagles are squaring off against the Jacksonville Jaguars in London for their Week 5 action, and when they take the field, they will feature a very different-looking offensive line. That’s due in large part to the fact that longtime right tackle Lane Johnson has abruptly retired from the NFL after being a late inactive for the team’s Week 4 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
Losing Johnson hurts, both on the field and for the front office when it comes to its salary cap management. In an effort to soften the blow of Johnson’s departure, the Eagles have actually kept Johnson on their active roster, despite the fact that he is obviously not going to be taking the field for the team.
Why is Lane Johnson Still Active for the Eagles in Week 5?
After Johnson was ruled out right before the Eagles got underway against the Rams, rumors swirled suggesting that he was calling it a career. Sure enough, Johnson revealed that he is dealing with personal issues that are more pressing than football, and that despite his desire to continue playing, he needed to call it a career and focus on his life off the field.
Nobody is blaming Johnson for opting to retire, but it has certainly left Philly in a bind. Johnson has been a stalwart on Philly’s offensive line for his entire career, and it’s also worth noting that the team traded Pro Bowl center Cam Jurgens to the Baltimore Ravens just before Johnson shared his retirement decision.
From a salary cap perspective, the Eagles are also in a bit of a bind, which is why they released backup quarterback Andy Dalton last week, too. While Johnson is reportedly expected to give back a portion of the $21.7 million roster bonus he signed with the team ahead of the season, Philly is leaving Johnson on its active roster in order to save itself some more money on the salary cap for future years.
“The Eagles are expected to keep Johnson on the 53-man roster throughout the season, rather than move him to the reserve/retired list,” Ian Rapoport of ESPN reported. “The plan is for Johnson to stay on the 53-man roster until after June 1 for salary cap reasons, while Philadelphia also maintains an open window in the unlikely event he changes his mind.”
Eagles Shortchange Their Roster With Lane Johnson Move
The specifics of the salary cap savings for the Eagles won’t be known until it is specified just how much money Johnson is giving back to the team, but considering the situation the team currently faces in this department, it could wind up being a shrewd decision down the line. However, for the time being, Philly is essentially operating with a 53-man roster until it can find a better solution.
In the meantime, Philadelphia is going to continue trying to find a way to win football games, even with injuries and absences piling up across the board. Saquon Barkley and DeVonta Smith are out with injuries for the Eagles on Sunday, so if Jalen Hurts doesn’t turn in a big game, this could wind up being a very rough contest for the team as it goes up against a tough Jags squad.
Eagles Make Unexpected Lane Johnson Move After Retirement Decision