Lane Johnson has seen enough football to know when something feels different, and after one day of Eagles training camp, he was already talking like a man who believes this offense can change the way Philadelphia plays.
At 36 and beginning his 14th training camp, Johnson didn’t sound like he was selling anybody on a buzzword. He sounded convinced. The Eagles’ new offense under coordinator Sean Mannion, he said, is built around a very different feel from what this team has run before.
“The offense that we’re doing is entirely different,” Johnson said after Day 1 of camp. “Under-center, play-action, wide-zone, consistent with that.
I think as far as spreading the ball, I think there will be a lot of that. Each guy getting more touches.
“What I like about this is that everything looks very complex to the defense. To the offense, it’s pretty simplified.
Obviously, we’ve got to pick up on communication and cadence and stuff. But it’s very O-line friendly compared to maybe some past years that I’ve been involved in.
I’m looking forward to it. I’m looking forward to the offense.
First day, guys getting jitters out and getting the first practice under their belt is big.”
For Johnson, the appeal starts up front. He’s spent years dealing with elite pass rushers with less help than he expects in this system, and he likes what he sees from the protection structure. But he also sees the bigger picture: a Shanahan-style offense that can stress defenses in multiple ways.
“When we’re under center, it’s so hard for the defense to tell if it’s a run or play action,” Johnson said. “Instead of (the defense) getting off the ball, now it’s a lot more hesitation, a lot more reading from them. I believe this offense does a good job of setting us up for success.”
There were some expected hiccups on Wednesday as the Eagles installed a brand new scheme. A few pre-snap penalties showed up, which comes with the territory when a team is learning on the fly. But once the ball was snapped, the group looked sharp enough for a first day.
The basics of the offense were easy to spot. The Eagles lined up under center frequently, leaned into play-action, used more motion and misdirection, and had Jalen Hurts working the middle of the field and checking the ball down to his backs. The wide-zone run game was front and center too.
Hurts said the early impression of Mannion has been a positive one.
“I think Coach (Mannion) is going to be just fine,” Hurts said. “He’s got a lot of structure and a lot of intentionality behind what he does.”
Saquon Barkley, meanwhile, sounded eager about what this system could mean for him. He was active right away, taking handoffs and catching passes out of the backfield as the Eagles opened camp.
“Definitely gives you a lot of advantages, especially when you’re able to marry it up with everything else,” Barkley said. “For me, I feel like I have a chance to be really good in this system too.
I’ve seen it from afar but now actually studying it and working it and trying to put myself in the system, I feel like it’s going to open up some things that I may not have been able to show as much in my career. I’m excited for that.”
Barkley has already shown he can be a factor as a receiver, with 70 catches over his first two NFL seasons, and he believes this setup could give him even more chances in the passing game. If the protection is as running-back friendly as it looks, he may not have to spend as much time staying in to block.
“I believe so,” Barkley said. “I like that way that our protection is.
Kind of friendly to the running back. I feel like it might give me a little bit more opportunity to get out and be involved in the pass game.”
Hurts also noted that none of this is exactly new to football, even if it is new to the Eagles’ recent approach. He has played under center before in the NFL, but Philadelphia is leaning into it more now in 2026, along with the rest of the package Mannion is installing.
For Hurts, the priority is simple: keep stacking reps and building trust.
“I think the No. 1 thing is the work and the repetition and getting the opportunity to get that in,” Hurts said. “You go throughout the spring, you take it as it comes, you spend time with your teammates, you grow, you embrace every rep, you’re intentional about every rep. And then you come back here and you kind extend that process even more.
“I’m not at the season yet. I’m taking this one day at a time here, trying to build with everybody and make sure we’re all on the same page. That’s going to make it go.”
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