The Philadelphia Eagles escaped Week 11 with a gritty 16–9 win over the Detroit Lions, but the bigger story came on the right edge of their offensive line.
Right tackle Lane Johnson left in the first quarter with a foot issue that has now been diagnosed as a Lisfranc sprain. Multiple reports indicate the 35-year-old is expected to miss four to six weeks and could land on injured reserve, although the injury is not believed to be season-ending.
Lane Johnson injury timeline and what the Eagles lose up front
Before going down, Johnson was quietly having another elite season. He had not allowed a sack and had surrendered only a handful of pressures in over 250 pass-blocking snaps, posting a pass-blocking grade north of 80 by most tracking services.
Even after battling ankle and stinger issues earlier in the year, he remained one of the few constants on an Eagles offensive line that has rarely had all five projected starters on the field together.
Losing that level of stability in front of Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley changes the equation for an offense that has already endured its share of lulls.
Eagles five-time All-Pro OT Lane Johnson suffered a Lisfranc injury during Sunday night’s win over the Lions, per sources. It is not expected to be a season ending injury, but he could be headed to injured reserve. pic.twitter.com/UVbwnC6JJy
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 17, 2025
In Johnson’s absence, swing tackle Fred Johnson stepped in at right tackle against Detroit and is the presumed starter while the veteran recovers. The Eagles will likely reshuffle protections and lean even more on quick game concepts to help their backup.
Still, there is no realistic way to fully replace a first-ballot Hall of Fame caliber right tackle on the fly. The coaching staff has praised Lane Johnson for playing through pain in recent weeks, but this latest setback finally pushes him to the sideline at a time when Philadelphia is trying to stay on top of the NFC.
Short-term fixes, long-term questions for Philadelphia’s line
The immediate concern is surviving the next month without the anchor on the right side. If the Eagles place Lane Johnson on injured reserve, he would miss at least four games, a stretch that includes matchups with the Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Bears, Los Angeles Chargers and Las Vegas Raiders.
That is a difficult run for any offensive line that is less than full strength. With center Cam Jurgens also battling through his own recent injury issues, the group that has been the backbone of Philadelphia’s identity suddenly looks vulnerable.
Eagles OT Lane Johnson expected to miss 4-6 weeks after suffering Lisfranc sprain. (via @rapsheet, @MikeGarafolo) pic.twitter.com/MokSWO9uY7
— NFL (@NFL) November 17, 2025
Johnson is in his 13th NFL season, playing on a one-year deal and has already left multiple games this fall with various lower-body problems. Observers have started to compare this stage of his career to the late-career version of Jason Peters: still dominant when available, but off the field more often as the wear and tear adds up.
The Eagles will eventually need a true succession plan at right tackle, even if Johnson returns in time to help anchor another playoff push.
Photo Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
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