Philadelphia Eagles RT Lane Johnson clears NFL concussion protocol

Ladies and gentlemen, the Philadelphia Eagles just got a little healthier as Lane Johnson clears concussion protocol.

Any fan of the Philadelphia Eagles probably still has nightmares of the day that Halapoulivaati Vaitai made his first professional start in the NFL. He did so in relief of a suspended Lane Johnson. Unfortunately, he was taken to the woodshed time and time again by Washington Redskins outside linebacker Ryan Kerrigan.

In Vaitai’s defense, he’s improved by leaps and bounds since that day, but anytime he has any slippage in his production, many an Eagles fan brings that up. Take the Eagles’ week six game against the Carolina Panthers. Vaitai, again, had to learn on the job. The Panthers, on more than one occasion loaded up on his side of the line and attacked with their blitz from there, probably because they saw Vaitai as one of the weak points of the offensive line.

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Julius Peppers, early in the contest, beat Vaitai on a rush and found his way, easily, to Carson Wentz. Again, Eagles fans were reminded of Vaitai’s first NFL start. It didn’t help that Lane Johnson was in league concussion protocol and unable to play. It also didn’t help that the Redskins and Kerrigan were next on the Eagles’ schedule.

Some of the best news we’ve heard all week:

Rest easy Eagles fans. We’re happy to report Philly continues to get more and more healthy as weeks pass. Against the Redskins, the Eagles will get two of their most valuable contributors back as running back Wendell Smallwood will be reinstated into the lineup and right tackle Lane Johnson, recently clearing the league’s concussion protocol, will be back on the field as well.

That’s news we expected, but it’s still a good feeling to know we were right.

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