One of the biggest 2026 offseason questions for the Philadelphia Eagles: Will Lane Johnson retire?
If former Eagles running back LeSean McCoy and NFL insider Adam Schefter are to be believed, Philly’s All-Pro starting right tackle will indeed be back next season.
McCoy had the following to say on a February 9 edition of SPEAKEASY:
“Lane Johnson ain’t going nowhere. I talked to Lane. He ain’t going nowhere. He ain’t going nowhere.”
Schefter appeared on 97.5 The Fanatic’s Kincade & Salciunas show on Wednesday
morning and had the following to say:
“I do expect that Lane Johnson will be back. I have heard the Landon Dickerson conversation [on potential retirement], I don’t know how real it is or isn’t; but I’d be surprised if Lane Johnson isn’t back, I don‘t know as much about Landon Dickerson.”
It’ll be nice to eventually see or hear confirmation from Johnson himself. In the meantime, these comments seem promising as it relates to Johnson playing in 2026.
It’s not difficult to believe that Johnson doesn’t want to retire after missing the Eagles’ final eight games of the 2025 season. But it would be hard to blame the two-time Super Bowl champion, who turns 36 in May, if he felt like it was best for his health to walk away.
Johnson was once again playing at a very high level prior to suffering a Lisfranc injury in November. The Eagles were 8-2 with him in the starting lineup and 3-5 without him. Having him around for 2026 would be a big deal.
Of course, it remains to be seen if the 14-year veteran can stay healthy. Even if Lane Johnson truly is back, the Eagles must invest in a replacement plan. Especially with Fred Johnson expected to leave in free agency as he seeks an opportunity for more playing time. The Birds have had interest in drafting Lane’s heir apparent in recent years but the right fit hasn’t been available for them. Perhaps that’ll be a different story this offseason.
While Johnson being expected to return is welcomed news, the Eagles still have much to figure out when it comes to their offensive line. Is Landon Dickerson going to retire? Can Cam Jurgens get back to where he was prior to struggling in 2025? Is Tyler Steen going to start again this season? How much of a drop off will there be from Jeff Stoutland to new offensive line coach Chris Kuper?
We’ll see.
