Over the next few weeks leading up to training camp, we’ll be counting down the top 25 most important Eagles for the 2025 season.
25. Andrew Mukuba
24. Jahan Dotson
23. Tanner McKee
22. Tyler Steen
21. Azeez Ojulari
20. Moro Ojomo
19. Kelee Ringo
18. Jihaad Campbell
17. Jalyx Hunt
16. Jordan Davis
15. Reed Blankenship
14. Dallas Goedert
13. Cam Jurgens
12. Nolan Smith
11. Landon Dickerson
10. Cooper DeJean
9. Quinyon Mitchell
8. DeVonta Smith
7. Jordan Mailata
6. Zack Baun
5. Lane Johnson
As he enters his 13th NFL season at age 35, it would be reasonable to expect Lane Johnson to slow down at some point.
But he doesn’t expect it. And neither do the Eagles.
“Now, I feel like even though I’m 35, I feel better than I was when I started (or when I was) 29 or 30,” Johnson said during OTAs. “I had the (ankle) surgeries and so for me the toughest year was ’21 and you can go back and watch it, you can clearly see on film, I was very hindered with my left foot.
“And now, I feel like I’m getting close to maybe my peak. As weird as it is to say, but that’s truly how I feel. Maybe they need to do a Combine for guys 10 years (in the league), see how we do compared to 10 years ago.”
Close to his peak?!
It sounds crazy but with Johnson it just might not be. He made his third consecutive Pro Bowl and sixth total in 2024. And he was snubbed for first-team All-Pro in favor of Detroit’s Penei Sewell, a slight that seemed to bother the potential Hall of Famer. It at least bothered the person who posted this next to Johnson’s locker late in the 2024 season.
Even though he’s this deep into his career, Johnson hasn’t shown any signs of decline. In fact, ProFootballFocus has Johnson ranked as the top right tackle in the NFL entering 2025 and fifth overall:
“Johnson, the highest-ranked right tackle on this list, was one of just two offensive tackles to earn PFF pass-blocking and run-blocking grades over 85.0 in 2024 — with the other being his teammate Jordan Mailata.
“Johnson did not surrender a sack and gave up pressure on only 2.2% of pass plays during the 2024 regular season, which ranked second among all offensive tackles and led right tackles.”
While the Eagles have had a ton of great offensive linemen under OL coach Jeff Stoutland, Johnson is the only one to start in both Super Bowl wins to cap the 2017 and 2024 seasons. He has already made the second-most Pro Bowls by an offensive tackle in franchise history, just one behind his former teammate Jason Peters.
Even though Johnson still thinks he has a couple more really good years left in him, he has become a tad more reflective in recent seasons. This spring, he thought back to how well his career worked out being the No. 4 pick to the Eagles in 2013.
“I’m very happy with how things have turned out,” Johnson said. “You know, when you’re in it, when you’re still playing, there’s always more to do, more to strive for. But, looking back, I’m very happy with how my career has gone, the players I got to play with, the mentors.
“So yeah, I’m very fortunate. I don’t know if I would be the same player or what would happen if I was with another organization. But this place has got the most out of me. And whatever time I have left, I think we can still be very, very good.”
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