Lane Johnson Could be Shut down for Game or Two to Rest Ankle

The Eagles RT got a second opinion and the good news he doesn't need surgery, but rest, and with two games four days apart now may be the best time to do it

The news was mostly good on the second opinion received by Eagles Pro Bowl right tackle Lane Johnson regarding his recent injury.

Johnson will not need surgery.

A source, however, indicated that fighting through the ankle injury that has been problematic all season long and rest, perhaps one or two games is the best course of action at this time.

Resting Johnson now for two games would seem to make sense because the Eagles will host the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday then four days later host the New York Giants. 

Johnson could then return for the Dallas Cowboys game on Nov. 1, if all goes well.

Head coach Doug Pederson will talk with reporters on Wednesday morning.

Johnson has tried to gut his way through constant swelling in an ankle that was operated on in August, but it has led to him being shuffled in and out of the lineup. He also missed the season opener against Washington.

There had been some speculation that Johnson suffered a more serious injury to his shin during Sunday’s game against the Steelers and that is what sent him for a second opinion, which was believed to be rendered by one of the top orthopedic foot and ankle surgeons in the country, Dr. Robert Anderson, who is based in Green Bay and has served on the medical staff for the Carolina Panthers and Packers.

Johnson’s ankle was initially repaired about two months ago with “tightrope” surgery, a procedure that is supposed to help players with high ankle sprains return quicker to play. Johnson struggled to keep swelling out of the area and had 6 ccs of fluid drained from it on Sept. 28, the day after the Eagles tied the Bengals 23-23 in Week 3 when a cyst was discovered.

The RT gutted it out, though, and played as well as he could for as long as he could, knowing that the offensive line had already been ravaged by injury.

Johnson will be the fourth starter member of the Eagles’ offensive line to suffer an injury that requires missed time.

The seasons of Andre Dillard (biceps) and Brandon Brooks (Achilles) ended in the summer. Left guard Isaac Seumalo was placed on Injured Reserve with a knee injury on Sept. 21 and Jason Peters was added to IR on Sept. 26.

So far, the young offensive line has played better than perhaps expected, with Nate Herbig stepping in first for Peters, when Peters was shifted back to left tackle after Dillard got hurt, then moved to left guard when Seumalo went out.

Herbig has handled the move from right to left without any speed bumps thus far.

Driscoll started for Johnson in the opener and performed well. He has also filled in when Johnson was unable to finish a game or had to come out in the first half before returning, the way he did in San Francisco.

Driscoll played 27 snaps against the Steelers after Johnson left after putting in 39 snaps (66 percent).

So far, Driscoll has played in about 27 percent of the team’s snaps this season, a number that could rise with the very real possibility Johnson could miss a couple of games.

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