Lane Johnson has spent most of his Eagles career doing one of the hardest jobs in football with almost no safety net. That’s been part of the reason he’s been so great. It’s also been part of the reason his body has taken such a beating.
Now, at 36, the Eagles are making a real effort to change that.
Johnson has missed 30 games since the start of the 2019 season, and the team’s approach is shifting beyond just the usual veteran rest days in training camp. The goal is simple: keep one of the best tackles of his era on the field.
“It’s very O-Line friendly compared to maybe some past years,” Johnson said. “As for me, I always have the presence of a guard in pass protection.
I never had help in my entire career in pass protection here. A lot of games are different for me and Jordan (Mailata) here.”
That help matters because Johnson has spent the overwhelming majority of his career isolated at right tackle, no matter who was running the offense. Chip Kelly, Nick Sirianni, Doug Pederson - the setup changed, but Johnson was still the lone man on the right side. Jeff Stoutland has remained the one constant as offensive line coach, but the workload on Johnson never really let up.
This offense is different. Sean Mannion and Chris Kuper are part of a system that asks for less shotgun and, according to Johnson, puts less wear and tear on the body.
“A lot of it is under center, ” Johnson said. “So as far as defenses being able to pick up on reads -- it’s more difficult.”
That shift also puts more emphasis on terminology and communication up front. Johnson has made it clear the Eagles have to be sharp there, especially with the new help he’ll get from Tyler Steen in both run and pass blocking. For the first time in a long time, Johnson won’t have to carry the right side by himself.
And that’s the point. He’s still dominant without help, but the Eagles can’t afford to keep treating him like he’s indestructible. If Steen’s presence helps preserve Johnson’s body in his mid-30s, Philadelphia will gladly make that trade.
The alternative is ugly: Johnson missing time and either Fred Johnson or Markel Bell at right tackle. Based on Day 3 of practice, that didn’t look like a path the Eagles want to keep walking.
There’s also the possibility that Johnson’s numbers shift a little with more help and more pass-blocking snaps. A higher sack total or pressure rate could show up on paper if communication isn’t perfect. But the bigger picture is obvious: getting him through the season healthy is the priority.
And even with the adjustment, Johnson’s recent production is still elite. He hasn’t allowed a sack in a season in four of the past five years, and his pressure rate allowed per dropback is 1.6% over the last two seasons. Last year, he didn’t allow a sack in 251 pass-blocking snaps and posted a 2.0% pressure rate allowed per dropback.
If the cost of keeping him on the field is a slightly different stat line, the Eagles will live with it. They need Lane Johnson healthy.
They need him out there. And if this new setup helps make that happen, that’s the right move.
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