After the shocking announcement of Philadelphia Eagles offensive line coach and run game coordinator Jeff Stoutland leaving after 13 years, there is more pressure on the news of whether starting right tackle Lane Johnson will be back or if he will retire.
Johnson is coming off a serious foot injury that cost him the final eight games of the season. Eagles starting left tackle Jordan Mailata was asked by the crew at PHLY whether he was recruiting Johnson to return in 2026. While he acknowledged that, his response about whether Johnson was coming back was a bit confusing.
"That's his decision to make. That's him to let you guys know if he's coming back. Yes, he's coming back, but."
Jordan Mailata gave some insights into Lane Johnson's decision
Just for some context, if Eagles fans watch the video, Mailata seems very hesitant to answer. Even with his final comment in the quote, it still feels a bit uncertain whether Johnson was coming back, but it might also mean he was. Fans will have to interpret that answer however they want to.
Johnson played great football through the first 10 games of the 2025 season, as he did not allow a single quarterback hit or sack in 262 pass blocking snaps before his injury. It's clear that he can still play at a high level, but the real question is whether he can stay healthy throughout a full season.
That has now become a legitimate concern with the offensive line as Landon Dickerson and Cam Jurgens fought through injuries throughout the 2025 season. Now there are concerns about whether Dickerson will continue his career or retire at 27, given everything he has gone through.
Read more: Eagles insider's shocking new report could see offensive line take another hit
Once upon a time, the Eagles' offensive line was a strength of this unit. Now they are lucky if they can get back to the same level they were playing at the last decade.