Eagles OL Reacts To Unexpected Return To Philadelphia

The Philadelphia Eagles recently were looking for some more depth for the offensive line and found some with an old friend.

Fred Johnson spent the last two seasons with the Eagles but joined the Jacksonville Jaguars ahead of the 2025 season. While this is the case, his stay in Jacksonville wasn't for very long. The Eagles acquired Johnson this past week in a trade with the Jaguars for a 2026 seventh-round draft pick, the team announced.

"A familiar face returns to Philadelphia as the Eagles shuffle their offensive line depth ahead of the 53-man roster cutdown," Philadelphia announced. "On Monday, the Eagles agreed to acquire veteran tackle Fred Johnson from the Jaguars in exchange for Philadelphia's 2026 seventh-round draft pick."

Johnson appeared in all 17 regular season games for the Eagles last year and made six starts in the process. He appeared in all 17 regular season games for the Eagles in 2023 as well, although he didn't make any starts that year.

Eagles OL Fred Johnson responds to return trip to Philadelphia

Feb 9, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle Fred Johnson (74) against the Kansas City Chiefs during Super Bowl LIX at Ceasars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The 28-year-old is coming back to town and made it clear that he's excited to be back in Philadelphia.

"It feels great to be back," Johnson said. "Oh my God, I’m so excited, so ready. Just happy to be back in the city, happy to be back with this team. Continue to keep the train rolling...I heard about the trade and I was like, ‘Hey, if I go anywhere else, I’d rather go back to the Eagles.' I was super happy, super excited. I told my family, told my mom, told my son. I was just ready to get out here. I almost asked to drive up instead of fly the next morning. I was ready to get back...

"Obviously, they traded for me. They need me," Johnson said. “I’m willing to do whatever for these guys. These are my brothers, these are my folks. It’s no disappointment, no sadness going into it. I’m ready when y’all need me. And that’s that. We’ll see where everything goes after this season...I love Philly. I love everything. I love cheesesteaks, I love all that. But I’m excited to be back here, I’m excited to have big dreams to chase. I’m ready for whatever comes my way."

Johnson won a Super Bowl with the Eagles last season and now has the opportunity to try to help the team make another run this year.

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