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PHILADELPHIA — The question of who would replace Lane Johnson at right tackle has lingered for several offseasons, especially as the NFL Draft approached each spring. Yet, year after year, the first round came and went without the Eagles selecting his successor. The last time they used a first-round pick on an offensive tackle was in 2019, when they traded up to take Andre Dillard, a move that did not pan out. Before Dillard, the previous first-round tackle was Johnson himself in 2013, a selection that exceeded expectations.
Perhaps the answer arrived in the third round of this past spring's draft. Philadelphia chose offensive tackle Markel Bell with the pick acquired from the New York Jets in the March 29, 2024, trade that sent Haason Reddick to New York. Now, with Johnson having retired after nearly 14 seasons in the NFL, all with the Eagles, it may be Bell's time to shine.
Fred Johnson remains an option, but he is dealing with a knee injury. Moreover, the Eagles and the rest of the league have a clear picture of what Fred Johnson brings to the table. Bell, on the other hand, is a relative unknown, and it seems time to find out what he can do. The rookie was thrust into action on Sunday when Lane Johnson woke up unable to play. Offensive coordinator Sean Mannion stated that the game plan did not change even though Bell had not practiced as a starter during the week.
Eagles Should Stick With Rookie At Right Tackle
"Nothing changed," Mannion said. "Markel, he's been working his tail off. He's been up every game so far this year and stepped in and did some nice things. It was obviously kind of thrust in the moment, his first NFL start, but he's been preparing. He's been ready to go all year. He may end up going for the rest of the year."
Still, it was just his first start. Johnson made 171 of them, so there will be inevitable growing pains. The more pressing short-term concern is Fred Johnson's health. He has been the team's top reserve behind Lane Johnson and Jordan Mailata. If Bell has to start—and he likely will—the Eagles lack a backup if Fred Johnson cannot play. That would require a practice squad elevation, probably John Ojukwu. Kiram Amegadjie could also be an option; he was a third-round pick of the Bears out of Yale in 2024 and a player the Eagles showed interest in leading up to that year's draft.
Regardless of the solution, the Eagles' offensive line looks vastly different than it did just a month ago. Landon Dickerson is out, and the team moved Cam Jurgens to left guard and inserted Drew Kendall at center. Now, Jurgens may be unavailable after he self-reported a concussion on Monday morning and entered concussion protocol. If he cannot play, the Eagles could turn to either Willie Lampkin or rookie Micah Morris.
The line is not the only area affected; the Eagles' offense will already be without Tank Bigsby and could be without DeVonta Smith, Saquon Barkley, and Dallas Goedert. "It's part of the game and feel good about our roster from top to bottom and guys have been practicing hard, guys have been stepping up," Mannion said. "I feel confident with all the guys that have been thrust in action. There's no flinch in them. They don't blink. They're ready to go in and execute. They're well prepared by our staff. They put in a ton of hard work and effort every day in practice. They're attentive in the meetings. It's the unfortunate part of this game; guys may go down, but guys are right behind them, and they've been working quietly, preparing themselves, and they're ready to go."
Ed Kracz has been covering the Eagles full-time for over a decade and has written about Philadelphia sports since 1996. He wrote about the Phillies in the 2008 and 2009 World Series, the Flyers in their 2010 Stanley Cup playoff run to the finals, and was in Minnesota when the Eagles secured their first-ever Super Bowl win in 2017. Ed has received multiple writing awards as a sports journalist, including several top-five finishes in the Associated Press Sports Editors awards. Follow kracze.