Curtain To Come Up On ‘Fred Johnson Physical Football’ For Eagles

The Eagles need their swing tackle to step up after Lane suffered a Lisfranc injury.

Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle Fred Johnson (74) blocks against the Los Angeles Rams at Lincoln Financial Field. | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

PHILADELPHIA - History says the Eagles don’t play very well when Lane Johnson is out of the lineup, but there’s some hope for perseverance this time in the form of 6-foot-7, 326-pound swing tackle Fred Johnson.

Johnson was forced to play quite a bit last season in place of injured Jordan Mailata, and the Eagles kept things afloat despite missing the star left tackle for four games.

Lane Johnson is expected to miss at least that kind of shelf life on the right side with a Lisfranc injury, and “Big Fred” is again the guy after a brief sojourn in Jacksonville over the summer.

“They the best in the business, you never expect them to get banged up or stuff like that but it's a physical position and things happen,” Fred Johnson said of the opportunity. “Lane got caught, he's feet got rolled up on and stuff so now he's got to rest up and that's where I come into play."

The goal isn’t to be a future Hall of Famer, however.

Opportunity Knocks

Eagles OT Fred Johnson at practice. | John McMullen/Eagles on SI

"Lane Johnson is cemented as one of the greats. Fred Johnson is still trying to make a name for himself, so that's how I approach it,” Fred Johnson said. “Lane, his shoes are already filled in with his work ethic and what he put out there on film. I feel now is my time to show what I can do, on the right side this year. Last year on the left side, so it's a big test for me."

Last season, despite praise for how he filled in for Mailata, “Big Fred” believes he left too much on the table.

"I don't think I did it the way I should have,” he admitted. “I feel like there's a lot of things I would have took back from last year. I got the opportunity now to showcase what I can do on the biggest stage, execute and play my game."

That game is “Fred Johnson physical football.”

“[Offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland] already knows I come to work with a certain expectation and that expectation is execute and do what I gotta do and play Fred Johnson physical football,” Johnson said. “Basically what's he's been saying and this week is about just be in the game plan and making sure all my boxes are checked off and wait for Sunday."

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