In a recent interview, Lane mentioned playing two more years after this season which would make 2024 his final year here.  Cites wanting to spend more time with his kids as the main reason for this decision.  He is currently under contract through the 2025 season (not including the 3 void years added on to the backend of his contract).  If he does indeed hang 'em up after 2024 that would create a $7.3M dead money hit to the 2025 cap (but also yield $15.6M in cap savings).  

Quote

Lane Johnson puts possible end date on his NFL career

 

Since the Eagles drafted him in 2013, Lane Johnson has been a franchise cornerstone. He's started 120 games across his nine-plus year career in Philly and has been one of the best tackles in the NFL for years now.

And while his play hasn't declined - if anything he's playing the best football of his career - it sounds like the 32-year-old has started thinking about when his NFL ride could wind down.

Some quotes Johnson gave at an event during the Eagles' mini-bye following their Thursday Night Football win over Houston have raised eyebrows.

Both the Philadelphia Inquirer's Josh Tolentino and PhillyVoice's Jimmy Kempski quoted Johnson as saying he's thought about finishing 2022 and then playing "two more" years, which would make the 2024 NFL season his final run through the league if he sticks to that (admittedly not-steadfast) plan.

Johnson went on to elaborate a little bit, via Tolentino's article:

"'To be honest with you,' Johnson said, 'I've thought about playing this year and maybe two more.'

"'A lot of that is because of my [three] kids. I don't want to be away from my kids more than I already am. They're in Oklahoma, I only see them half the year, that's all the time I get to spend with them. That's a drag.'"

Makes perfect sense to me. Plus football players take an absolute beating, particularly offensive linemen - if you're a subscriber to The Athletic you should read this Bo Wulf story about the injuries Jason Kelce endured in just one season - and I'd imagine resting his dang bones would be a welcome reprieve for Johnson.

Still, this is something of interest and intrigue to the Eagles' front office. As Howie Roseman is allocating resources - in terms of draft picks, young players, and cap dollars - he'll probably want to think about what his plan at right tackle is for the 2025 NFL season in case Johnson does indeed hang 'em up. Roseman is always thinking years into the future anyway, so having this kind of information from Johnson will honestly probably be pretty helpful in forming his plans of attack.

It'll be a bummer when Johnson stops playing for the Eagles. He's been an unbelievable player on the field, an extremely entertaining and thoughtful person off the field, and generally has held down a key position for a decade. Also he's a Super Bowl champion.

Make sure you enjoy Johnson's dominant play while it's still happening.

https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/eagles/eagles-right-tackle-lane-johnson-eyeing-end-his-career

It’s not often a player gets to stay in one place their entire career nowadays. Lane is one of the guys I’d be happy to say didn’t play elsewhere. 

1 minute ago, EagleJoe8 said:

It’s not often a player get to stay in one place their entire career nowadays. Lane is one of the guys I’d be happy to say didn’t play elsewhere. 

No doubt.  Kelce too.  

1 minute ago, time2rock said:

Kelce too.  

Definitely. Gonna be some big holes, (and shoes) to fill in the next few years. 

2 minutes ago, EagleJoe8 said:

Definitely. Gonna be some big holes, (and shoes) to fill in the next few years. 

Unfortunately.  Hopefully they get to go out on top. 

 

If Lane plays two more years, he will count for $51 million against the cap - $24 million in bonus money and $27 million in salary.

What will happen is that they will turn all of that salary money (except for the $2 million or so in vet minimum payments) into bonus money so his cap hit will be reduced significantly the next two years.

So right now he has cap hits of $24 million next year and $22 million in 2024. Those will go down to around $14 million and $12 million, but there will be $25 million in dead cap spread over 2025 and 2026.

They can draft a right tackle replacement next year, have him sit for a year, and be ready to roll in 2025.

Eagles might need to find a way to have Dillard hang around a little bit longer possibly. 

12 minutes ago, jsb235 said:

If Lane plays two more years, he will count for $51 million against the cap - $24 million in bonus money and $27 million in salary.

What will happen is that they will turn all of that salary money (except for the $2 million or so in vet minimum payments) into bonus money so his cap hit will be reduced significantly the next two years.

So right now he has cap hits of $24 million next year and $22 million in 2024. Those will go down to around $14 million and $12 million, but there will be $25 million in dead cap spread over 2025 and 2026.

They can draft a right tackle replacement next year, have him sit for a year, and be ready to roll in 2025.

If they don't do anything with his contract and he does retire after the 2024 season, then we would only incur $7.3M in dead money to the 2025 cap (and realize $15.6M in cap savings in the process).  

But I can certainly see Howie wanting to use that tactic to create additional space to try to sign some of our own impending free agents and/or set us up to be buyers in free agency.  

1 hour ago, jsb235 said:

If Lane plays two more years, he will count for $51 million against the cap - $24 million in bonus money and $27 million in salary.

What will happen is that they will turn all of that salary money (except for the $2 million or so in vet minimum payments) into bonus money so his cap hit will be reduced significantly the next two years.

So right now he has cap hits of $24 million next year and $22 million in 2024. Those will go down to around $14 million and $12 million, but there will be $25 million in dead cap spread over 2025 and 2026.

They can draft a right tackle replacement next year, have him sit for a year, and be ready to roll in 2025.

 

47 minutes ago, time2rock said:

If they don't do anything with his contract and he does retire after the 2024 season, then we would only incur $7.3M in dead money to the 2025 cap (and realize $15.6M in cap savings in the process).  

But I can certainly see Howie wanting to use that tactic to create additional space to try to sign some of our own impending free agents and/or set us up to be buyers in free agency.  

 

If Lane is going to be restructured, it will be going into the 2023 season as the Eagles will need the cap space.  Through another conversation, I have already done the math ( which Jason at OTC said is 100% correct )

 

 

 

3 hours ago, EagleJoe8 said:

Definitely. Gonna be some big holes, (and shoes) to fill in the next few years. 

Another benefit of having your quarterback situation set.  They have the draft capital to do pretty much anything they want next offseason - picks, trades, free agents - and with Hurts on the books for less than $2 million next year, they'll have opportunities to work the cap very aggressively and refresh the core. 

4 hours ago, time2rock said:

No doubt.  Kelce too.  

Kelce is irreplaceable, a future Hall of Famer. But I have trust in Cam Jurgens, he is going to be a stud, especially after learning from the best to ever do it.

Lane has earned all the plaudits sent his way and, in a sense, talking about his intentions does the Eagles a solid, in terms of planning for the future.

I remember the day Lane was drafted. I was in San Francisco - a big deal for a kid from one of England's most notorious ratholes, especially as I was paid to be there - and finished work early to get on my colours and get to a bar. I called the first five or six picks, and people around me kept buying me beers and asking what would happen next. A wonderful day that I will always look upon with fondness and gratitude.

12 minutes ago, kiwinavega said:

Kelce is irreplaceable, a future Hall of Famer. But I have trust in Cam Jurgens, he is going to be a stud, especially after learning from the best to ever do it.

Lane has earned all the plaudits sent his way and, in a sense, talking about his intentions does the Eagles a solid, in terms of planning for the future.

I remember the day Lane was drafted. I was in San Francisco - a big deal for a kid from one of England's most notorious ratholes, especially as I was paid to be there - and finished work early to get on my colours and get to a bar. I called the first five or six picks, and people around me kept buying me beers and asking what would happen next. A wonderful day that I will always look upon with fondness and gratitude.

I do wonder if Kelce will consider playing another year if we fail to win it all this year.  If he does, they could potentially play Jurgens at RG next year since Seumalo is scheduled to be a free agent after this season.   

Let's hope we win it all this year. I don't want Kelce to play longer than necessary, he has given us way more than we could ever expected. I hope he can retire, health and legacy intact

As I've been saying, OL needs to be a first round pick in this draft.

Lane is a big reason why we are good.  A difference-maker on that side, something must teams don't have.

Lane has been a beast, the TV broadcasts always say they have a losing record when he is out.  

They need to draft his replacement, Dillard will be too old and isn't a reliable enough starter.  A young pick can develop under Lane the way Cam is developing under Kelce.  

That's got to suck to only see them that amount of time

Daayyyumm his time on the Eagles went by fast!

Great player. A great Eagle. Hope him and Kelce go out with one more ring/Lombardi trophy. 

Orleans pick tackle --done

I know I’m in the minority with this one but I’d like to see Lane and Mailata switch sides this offseason. 

33 minutes ago, EaglePhan1986 said:

I know I’m in the minority with this one but I’d like to see Lane and Mailata switch sides this offseason. 

Why fix something that isn't broken?

This isn't to be mean, but start looking for his replacement. All the best to Lane, but be ready to fill that gap ahead of time.

26 minutes ago, gameshowfan91 said:

Why fix something that isn't broken?

Mailata at LT is definitely not unbroken 

1 hour ago, Talonblood said:

This isn't to be mean, but start looking for his replacement. All the best to Lane, but be ready to fill that gap ahead of time.

It's not mean at all.  They drafted Kelce's replacement even with his input on Jurgens.  That's what the draft is for.  Especially when Lane has put out a public timeline well then he has to expect them to draft a replacement.  

10 hours ago, EaglePhan1986 said:

I know I’m in the minority with this one but I’d like to see Lane and Mailata switch sides this offseason. 

Not a bad idea.  Does Lane want to do this?

Mailata's size is more right tackle size.

I've been arguing in favor of using Cam Jurgens as TE/FB/RB/WR whatever, as a 6th OL.  Often.

Get him in there doing good.  And then at some point,  Kelce wants to retire.  Jurgens plays center.  But who does what Jurgens was doing?  It could be Kelce, getting paid what a FB would be paid,  scoring TDs.  It could also be the freakbeast who was drafted to replace Lane.  When the freakbeast replaces Lane, perhaps former college QB and college TE Lane would like to run for TDs.