USA Today
Eagles Make Lane Johnson the NFL's Highest Paid Offensive Lineman
The right side of the Eagles’ offensive line isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, not after the Eagles locked up right tackle Lane Johnson on Friday evening with a four-year contract extension that will keep him in Philly through 2025.
The extension is for $72 million, with $54.59 million guaranteed. The deal makes Johnson, 29, the highest paid offensive lineman in the National Football League in terms of per year and guarantee.
Two weeks earlier, the Eagles gave right guard a contract extension through 2024 that will pay him $54 million with $30 million in guaranteed money.
That is a big chunk of change, but the Eagles have two premier linemen in the league on lockdown for the next several years.
Johnson and Brooks, 30, are arguably the two best players at their positions.
“Ultimately I think we’re the best right side in the league, but the beauty of this game is you have to go and prove it each and every week,” said Johnson on a conference call. “I’m blessed to play next to him.”
Johnson said talk of an extension began at the beginning of the season.
“We had a feeling it was going to happen this year,” said Johnson. “This organization is known for getting contracts done early, making smart moves.
"I figured this was a good move for me. I felt comfortable with it. The main goal is to stay here and be an Eagle my whole career.”
Johnson, who will be 35 when the deal expires, entered the league as the fourth overall player taken in the 2013 NFL Draft.
He endured two league suspensions for PED use, one that lasted four games, the other 10 games back in 2016.
When Johnson was drafted by the Eagles he didn’t think he would still be at right tackle. He thought he would have been moved to the left side, but Jason Peters is still manning that side at the age of 37.
A second reason for staying put is the evolution of the NFL. Pass rushers have become such a commodity in the league that there are plenty of good ones that line up over the right tackle, not just left tackles.
“I thought I’d be a left tackle by now,” said Johnson, “but the demand at right tackle when you look across the board and who a right tackle has to go against, it’s usually some of the best players in the league.
“I’m fortunate to be where I am … I’ve had a lot of great influences in my career. I never thought I’d be right tackle my whole career, but here I am and that’s really where I plan to stay.”
The Eagles’ offensive line appears set for the foreseeable future.
Rookie Andre Dillard will become the left tackle when Peters retires, which could be at the end of this season.
In March, center Jason Kelce and left guard Isaac Seuamlo signed new deals.
Kelce signed a three-year contract that runs through 2021. The value of the contract is $24.5 million with $19 million guaranteed. Kelce, though, has flirted with retirement the past couple off-seasons, so whether or not he sticks around for the life of the deal is unknown.
Seumalo signed a three-year contract through 2022, though the final two years are voidable years. The value of Seumalo’s deal was worth $17.6 million, with $12.6 million in guarantees.
