There is no way the Philadelphia Eagles would make this move with Lane Johnson, right?
At the moment, Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle Lane Johnson is undecided about his NFL future.
The prevailing thought is that Johnson will return for his 14th NFL season, but there is some speculation that the Eagles could potentially look to select a tackle early in the draft to replace him.
There is also some ridiculous buzz surrounding Johnson's future in Philadelphia, with some wondering if the Eagles could actually part ways with the six-time Pro Bowler.
If Philadelphia trades or releases Johnson after June 1, it would save $9.38 million. For a team that has such limited financial flexibility at the moment, that money matters.
So, yeah; I get it. It's tempting to cut ties with the 36-year-old and pocket that extra money to use elsewhere (even though Philly wouldn't actually be able to utilize it in free agency this offseason).
And yes, it's pretty clear that Johnson — who missed seven games due to injury in 2025 and has not played a full season in a decade — is not quite the same player he once was.
Philadelphia Eagles offensive lineman Lane Johnson. Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images.But the former first-round pick remains the heartbeat of the Eagles' offense, and moving him could potentially damage the locker room. And let's face it: Philadelphia's locker room isn't exactly a strong suit as it is.
Eagles general manager Howie Roseman is cutthroat and isn't afraid to sacrifice sentimentality for the betterment of the team. It's part of what makes him such an elite executive. But this is a different story.
It's hard to envision a world in which trading or releasing Johnson would benefit Philadelphia in 2026. Philly is in win-now mode, so jettisoning one of its best players wouldn't exactly help the team in the present.
Yes, moving Johnson for some future draft capital would benefit the Eagles in 2027, but Philadelphia isn't looking too far down the road. It just won a Super Bowl a year ago, and for as much as the team struggled in 2025, it still went 11-6.
Johnson has been his entire career in the City of Brotherly Love, and it's difficult to imagine him ever donning a different uniform.
Barring extreme circumstances, Johnson will almost certainly finish his career in Philadelphia.
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