Eagles RT Lane Johnson Intends To Play Through 2027 Season

The Eagles recently extended right tackle Lane Johnson through 2027 by adding one year to his existing deal. The transaction served the dual purpose of rewarding a franchise icon with an additional $30MM in guaranteed money while also lowering his 2025 cap charge. Nonetheless, Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer said at the time the extension was announced that Johnson may retire before his contract expires.

If Johnson has his druthers, though, he will play out his term of club control. “I feel really good. I think I can play out the contract,” the soon-to-be 35-year-old blocker said (via McLane).

Shortly before the 2024 season got underway, Johnson said he believes he can play until he is 40, thereby joining the likes of Jason Peters and Andrew Whitworth in that rarefied air for offensive linemen. In the same statement, though, Johnson acknowledged it was perhaps more realistic for him to play another two to three years.

At the time he made those comments, another three seasons would have taken Johnson through the 2026 campaign. As such, it is notable that he believes he can see out the 2027 add-on to his contract, which would take him through his age-37 season.

While factors unrelated to on-field performance, such as familial obligations and long-term health, are often instrumental in a player’s decision to retire, Johnson’s play has not shown any signs of regression even as he has entered his mid-30s. He just received his third consecutive (and sixth overall) Pro Bowl nod for his 2024 work, which was instrumental in Philadelphia’s second Super Bowl championship. The two-time First Team All-Pro graded out as Pro Football Focus’ fifth-best offensive tackle out of 81 qualifiers last year, and outside of his injury-shortened 2020 season, he has not finished lower than 13th in PFF’s grading system in any of the last nine years.

Now that Brandon Graham has retired, Johnson is all that remains of the Eagles’ “Core Four” that featured Johnson, Graham, Fletcher Cox, and Jason Kelce. At the moment, it sounds like that venerable quartet has a good chance of keeping its final member in the league for three more years.