The Philadelphia Eagles will play the Jacksonville Jaguars without two of their biggest-name and most decorated offensive linemen from the past decade — Lane Johnson and Cam Jurgens.
In a wild confluence of events this past week, Johnson abruptly retired while Jurgens was traded to the Baltimore Ravens — moves that have left the Eagles short-handed on their suddenly young offensive line, but with plenty to sort through as the fallout continues.
Multiple sources involved in the situation discussed the current state of Philadelphia’s offensive line with NFL Network:
• The Eagles are expected to keep Johnson on the 53-man roster throughout the season, rather than move him to the reserve/retired list. The plan is for Johnson to stay on the 53-man roster until after June 1 for salary cap reasons, while it also maintains an open window in the unlikely event he changes his mind.
Philadelphia cut Andy Dalton on Friday in a roster crunch due to injuries, for instance. If the Eagles carry Johnson until June 2, there will be no cap acceleration crashing down on them until 2028. Placing Johnson on the retired list now acts the same as a release for cap purposes, and it would sting.
• Johnson received an option bonus of $21.7 million prior to the season, and with his retirement, the expectation is that he’ll pay back several million dollars — with the exact number to be determined. But without an exact number, one cannot definitively confirm the cap ramifications for the Eagles. Talks of how to handle the money are ongoing, with the NFLPA and the NFL management council involved.
• Johnson is on the roster currently for the rest of his $1.3 million base salary — having received his bonus earlier — so the Eagles keeping him there won’t affect much, minus the roster gymnastics associated with it.
• The Eagles also moved on from Jurgens, trading the two-time Pro Bowl center and a 2027 seventh-round draft pick to the Ravens for a 2027 fifth-rounder and a 2028 second-rounder. The trade caused many around the league to wonder if there is a selloff coming in Philadelphia.
In other words, does general manager Howie Roseman believe it’s time to trade expensive pieces away, knowing it may not be his season? According to those involved, absolutely not.
In fact, Roseman is just as likely to take the 2028 second-rounder acquired in the Jurgens deal and trade it for a player that can help Philadelphia this season as he is to keep the pick in a safe place for the future.
That future second-round pick gives Roseman maximum flexibility. Accordingly, it would not surprise those in the league if teams start calling on Eagles guard Landon Dickerson when he is healthy enough to return from injured reserve
• Based on the way the roster looks, the Eagles think they can win now. Philadelphia has talent all over the place on defense, a quarterback who has won plenty, and proven players at the skill positions.
There is a lot the Eagles like, which is why, although rival GMs ask the question of whether they trade their top skill players like Saquon Barkley, a move like that would fly in the face of a team trying to win now. Essentially, the Jurgens trade was too much to turn down for a player who may have had to play guard in Philadelphia anyway.
