Markel Bell May Have A Bigger Rookie Season For Eagles Than Expected -- And May Come At Expense Of Fred Johnson

The long-term plan for Markel Bell is to be the successor to Lane Johnson.

The Eagles took Bell in the third round with that purpose. That plan hasn't changed. Bell is developing to be the starting right tackle for Johnson -- whether that is in a year or two.

Bell wasn't supposed to play much this season, if at all. The Eagles already have Lane Johnson and Jordan Mailata as the starting tackles, and re-signed Fred Johnson to a one-year contract.

Those are the top three tackles right? Not so fast.

With Johnson absent for the practice open to the media, Fred Johnson was expected to get the first-team reps at right tackle -- just like in years past. Instead, Bell was getting those reps at right tackle and Johnson was on the second team (at left tackle).

Is this an interesting development on the offensive line, even for an OTA practice in May? Considering where Bell is in his development, this could have major implications for the Eagles offensive line in 2026 and beyond.

Is Fred Johnson fighting for a roster spot?

Bell playing right tackle over Johnson is significant at this stage in OTAs. Johnson was brought back to be teh No. 3 tackle once again, a role he played for the Eagles over the last three seasons. The Eagles even re-acquired Johnson after he signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars last offseason.

The Eagles value Johnson as a swing tackle, and he's filled the role admirably over the past few years. Johnson isn't even 29 yet, so he still has value to this roster.

Being on a one-year deal doesn't guarantee anything in the NFL, which is why it's worth mentioning Johnson's status for a roster spot on this team. Bell playing right tackle, a position he never played in college, ahead of Johnson -- is significant.

While Bell was cross-trained at Miami to play left and right tackle, he never played right tackle in a game. The Eagles are having Bell strictly play right tackle for the time being, so perhaps Johnson is still the swing tackle going forward.

What does this mean for Bell?

Bell getting first-team reps this early in OTAs is massive, even if Johnson isn't there for some of the voluntary portion of practice. The Eagles wnat to see how Bell plays next to Tyler Steen and on the first team offensive line before the heat of the summer.

Once training camp begins, the teaching will still be incorporated but in a different way. Bell may be the secodn team right tackle while Johnson is at left tackle, or the firts team reps won't come as frequently.

The Eagles are showing a vote of confidence in Bell, who may be further along in his development than anyone thought. Bell could actually play his way into important regular season snaps this season if he wins the No. 3 tackle job, which wasn't believed to be possible when he was drafted.

Bell was viewed as a player with a long-term upside, not an immediate solution. That may all change if he has a strong summer, especially with his massive frame and wingspan.

How does Johnson not make the roster?

The Eagles don't have a lot of proven depth behind Johnson. They selected Myles Hinton and Cameron Williams in the sixth round of last year's draft, and used the pair of tackles in a developmental year.

Hinton played left guard in the open OTA session while Williams was on the third team at right tackle. Williams was behind John Ojukwu on the depth chart, which is also significant. Hollin Pierce was on the third team at left tackle.

Unless Johnson has a horrible training camp, it's hard to envision him not making this roster right now. There just isn't anyone to challenge Johnson, unless he's nota fit for this new offensive scheme -- then the game changes.

This summer will be interesting with the battle for the No. 3 tackle spot ongoing. Watching Bell's development will be even more intriguing.

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