Eagles Right Tackle Lane Johnson Signals Retirement After 2026 Season

Lane Johnson, the right tackle for the Philadelphia Eagles, informed reporters Saturday that he expects the coming season to be his final year in the NFL. The 36-year-old 13-year veteran cited a need to prioritize off-field responsibilities, stating that priorities away from football are beginning to merge, according to The Athletic.

Johnson's departure would leave a significant void in the Eagles' offensive efficiency. Reporting from CBS Sports, citing TruMedia, notes that since 2013, the Eagles have averaged 0.04 EPA per play with Johnson on the field compared to -0.05 EPA per play without him. This gap is described as the difference between the league's third-best and 27th-best offenses. A two-time Super Bowl champion (2017, 2024), Johnson has earned six Pro Bowl selections and five All-Pro honors. He was ranked third in ESPN's annual poll of coaches and executives and ninth in a CBS Sports poll of the top 10 players at his position.

To mitigate this loss, Philadelphia drafted Markel Bell, a former University of Miami tackle, in the third round with the 68th overall pick. According to Sports Illustrated, that pick was acquired from the New York Jets in a trade orchestrated by GM Howie Roseman involving pass rusher Haason Reddick. Bell, who stands 6-foot-9 and weighs approximately 345 pounds, has been taking reps at right tackle during his first professional training camp.

Johnson praised Bell's maturity and knowledge of the playbook, while Bell noted that veteran Jordan Mailata has served as a mentor. While Sports Illustrated reports that seven offensive tackles were taken in the first round of the draft, the Eagles opted for Bell in the third round as a potential successor to the future Hall of Fame candidate.