For the second time in as many games, veteran right tackle Lane Johnson had to leave the field early. This time, the 35-year-old went straight to the locker room with a foot injury. Fast forward to Monday, and it's since been confirmed by ESPN that Johnson will be heading to the injured reserve (although the issue isn't believed to be season-ending).
Of course, this is a big blow to the Eagles' massive offensive line. Johnson is a future Hall of Famer and one of the greatest right tackles of all time, and he has yet to give up a sack or a QB hit this season. Fortunately for the Eagles, they might have a suitable replacement in the building in Fred Johnson.
Fred Johnson Will Help Eagles Survive Lane Johnson's Injury
With his star blocker missing at least four games, Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni should roll with Fred Johnson at right tackle instead. He held his ground against Aidan Hutchinson and the Detroit Lions' stout pass rush and has played well overall this season, heading into Week 12 with 66.4 run block and 55.0 pass protection grades on Pro Football Focus. It's also finished with a pass block grade of 69.1 or better in four of the last five games he's played double-digit snaps.
He hasn't played enough snaps to qualify, but his run-block PFF grade isn't that far below Lane Johnson's (69.8). Also, Fred Johnson did make six starts last season, so he's clearly more than familiar with their blocking schemes, especially when considering how he's been with the franchise since the 2023 campaign.
The Cowboys bolstered their defense at the trade deadline, and head into Monday with the fourth-best PFF pass rush grade. Dallas will do whatever it can to put as much pressure on Philly's offensive line this week, making it crucial for Fred Johnson to handle his assignment.
And as great a player as Lane Johnson is, he's not getting any younger, and he's inching closer to retirement. This is the perfect opportunity to battle-test his potential replacement. The Eagles signed Fred Johnson to the practice squad a couple of years ago before trading back for him in August, so they clearly like what he can bring to the table.
Center Cam Jurgens also left the game with a knee injury, but Brett Toth looked the part in his absence. The Eagles could be without two starters in the offensive line next week against the Cowboys, but this team his stacked at every position, and they will have no choice but to take a 'next man up' approach to that divisional matchup to keep Jalen Hurts in a clean pocket.
If Fred Johnson proves to be up for the task, he might be worth keeping around for the long run.