Lane Johnson must be the starting left tackle by the end of 2017
It’s inevitable that Lane Johnson will make the switch to left tackle.
The Philadelphia Eagles selected Lane Johnson with the fourth pick in the 2013 NFL Draft. The hope was they had found the heir apparent to perennial Pro Bowl left tackle Jason Peters. Luckily for Johnson, he’s thrived at right tackle without being forced to play left tackle immediately. This is largely due to the stellar play of potential future NFL Hall of Fame inductee playing on the opposite side of the line.
Peters and Johnson are among the ‘cream of the crop’ in terms of starting tackle duos in the league. That, of course, is largely dependent on one remaining healthy and the other avoiding suspension. What separates the two of them from a lot of tackles is athleticism. They use their quickness to pick up a pass rush and seal off lanes in sweeps. They’re both also good at getting to the second level on screen passes.
Still, given that Peters is 35 years old and starting to wear down, the Eagles might want to consider moving Johnson over to left tackle. Here are a couple of reasons why.
Age:
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Granted, Peters is still solid at left tackle, but Father Time is undefeated. In all honesty, as good as he is, Peters just isn’t what he used to be. Johnson, on the other hand, is entering his prime. He’s regarded as one of the best right tackles in football at 27 years old. There’s no denying he has the potential to excel at left tackle.
While facing a ten-game suspension for the use of PEDs in 2016, Philadelphia lacked on offense in his absence. With Johnson entering his best years and Peters on the decline, the Eagles should swap the two, or they could insert Peters at guard.
With left tackle considered the most important position on the offensive line, a young Carson Wentz should have the best option protecting his blindside. Peters has some football left in him, but he could thrive at right tackle or at guard and take some of the pressure off of himself.
Money:
Salary plays a big role as well, and the left tackle and quarterback on this team are earning some pretty high salaries. Johnson’s being paid like a starting left tackle, and last offseason, Johnson signed a five year, $56.260 million contract extension making him the highest paid right tackle in the NFL. With all of that being said, there’s still more to the story.
Related Story: A deeper look at Jason Peters’ extension with the Eagles
Johnson’s contact is worth $8.76 million more than the second highest paid right tackle. The second richest right tackle is Ricky Wagner, who signed a five year, $47.5 million contract with the Detroit Lions this past off-season. Considering the fact that Johnson is essentially being paid like a left tackle, he probably should be playing at that position.
It’s only a matter of time until the Eagles move Johnson over to the left side to protect Wentz’s blindside. Putting age and money into consideration, the move should probably happen by year’s end.