Sean Mannion's Scheme Could Lead To Eagles' O-Line Changes, Impact Lane Johnson

Jeff Stoutland has coached some of the best offensive linemen in Eagles history, from center Jason Kelce to tackles Lane Johnson and Jason Peters. He produced players who made 27 Pro Bowls during his run in Philadelphia.

That was over the course of 13 years, which is something else remarkable. Coaches don’t typically make it that long. They all have a shelf life. Stoutland reached his on Wednesday evening when he announced he was leaving the organization after having survived three head coaching changes.

The big question now is what will happen with Lane Johnson? Will the veteran return for a 14th season, having to learn the system and scheme new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion is bringing with him? Will he even fit with what Mannion wants to do?

Stoutland is the only coach Johnson has ever had in Philadelphia, and he could retire or request a trade. The Eagles only save money if they trade or cut him after June 1, and that would be no way to treat a player like Johnson, who has done so much for the organization, helping it win two Super Bowls while he manned the right tackle spot.

Sean Mannion's Scheme Could Lead To More O-Line Change

Mannion is bringing a new scheme with him that is expected to draw from the experiences he had with three coaches he learned the most from – Sean McVay, Kyle Shanahan, and Matt LaFleur.

It’s a scheme expected to focus on linemen who can move laterally, which will require quicker more mobile athletes, and integrate a “wide zone” blocking scheme, which is departure from the Eagles’ heavy power-based run game approach, and will prioritize quick, efficient execution to match a modernized, faster-paced offense.

The run game will likely continue to be a priority, but with more creative, designed concepts rather than relying solely on the offensive line to win physically. The entire plan is aimed at modernizing the Eagles' offense and better utilizing a quicker, more athletic line.

This is part of the autonomy that the Eagles were willing to yield by bringing in someone from the outside.

The Eagles’ offensive line is filled with power players, such as left tackle Jordan Mailata, who coined the term, Stoutland University, and left guard Landon Dickerson. Mannion won’t blow up the offensive line, but exactly what happens to it now is certainly a question that will need to be answered.

The Eagles could be all in on offensive linemen early and often in spring’s draft, players who fit what Mannion wants to do, and players who can start sooner rather than later.

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