Lane Johnson isn’t going anywhere for a long time.
The Eagles on Friday signed Johnson to a four-year extension that keeps him in Philly through 2025. The deal is worth $72 million, with $54.959 million in guaranteed money, a source confirmed to NBC Sports Philadelphia.
The deal was first reported by NFL Network.
Johnson, 29, was the No. 4 pick back in the 2013 draft and has become the best right tackle in the game and one of the best linemen, period, in the NFL. Now, he’s getting paid like it.
That $18 million average per year in the extension is the highest among all offensive linemen league-wide.
Johnson is also the first Eagles player under contract through the 2025 season. He’ll be 35 at the end of this deal, which means he could play his entire career in Philadelphia. That’s his goal, Johnson said.
“We had a feeling that it was going to happen this year,” Johnson said on a conference call Friday night. “This organization is known for getting contracts done early, making smart moves. I felt comfortable with it.
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“My whole goal is just to stay here and be an Eagle the rest of my career. Moving forward, that’s all I want to do.”
While left tackles have been long considered the more important position of the two tackles, Johnson has had to face a murderer’s row of pass rushers over the last few years because a lot of the league’s top players rush from that side. He’s held up very well.
For years, Jason Peters has blocked Johnson from a move to the left side, but the league has changed in that right tackles are viewed much differently now than they were even in 2013 when Johnson came into the league. He probably has something to do with that.
“I never thought I’d be a right tackle my whole career, but here I am,” Johnson said, “and that’s where I plan to stay.”
Earlier this month, the Eagles signed right guard Brandon Brooks to a four-year extension through the 2024 season to make him the highest-paid guard in the league.
So now they have that side of the line solidified for years to come with two of the best offensive linemen in football. Those two are also incredibly close.
“I think the more we work together, the better we become,” Johnson said. “And, ultimately, I think we’re the best right side in the league. The beauty of this game is that you have to go prove it each and every week.”
This is the fourth extension the Eagles have gotten done this month.
The Eagles also hope they have their long-term left tackle in Andre Dillard, whom they drafted in the first round this spring. The Eagles have always prioritized building through the lines and it doesn’t seem like they’re going to change that approach.
The possible starting line next year of Dillard, Isaac Seumalo, Jason Kelce, Brooks and Johnson is under contract through the 2021 season. And four of those five are under contract through 2022.
Johnson has been a Pro Bowler in each of his last two seasons and was an All-Pro in 2017, the year after he served a 10-game suspension for his second failed performance enhancing drug test. If Johnson were to ever fail another one, he’d face a two-year suspension.
This season, Johnson has played in 10 games but missed last week’s game because of a concussion. He’ll return this weekend in Miami. It’s clear how much better the offense operates when Johnson is on the field.
Since 2016 (including playoffs), the Eagles are 35-16 with Johnson in the lineup and 3-10 without him.
As long as he stays healthy, the Eagles will have their right tackle for a long, long time.
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