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Major changes are happening once again along the Eagles’ offensive line.
Tackle Lane Johnson told reporters on Friday he ended the season with an ankle injury.
“The inside of my ankle collapsed,” Johnson told reporters, by Les Bowens of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Johnson’s injury will require surgery, ending his 2020 campaign and putting him on a long enough road to return to the pitch in 2021.
The news closely follows an upheaval in the starting lineup involving Jason Peters and Jordan Mailata, with the left tackle returning to right guard and Mailata taking over from left tackle, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport confirmed.
Six-time All-Pro (first team twice, second team four) to left tackle, Peters re-signed with the Eagles this offseason to play right guard following Brandon Brooks’ season-ending injury. That didn’t materialize by the time the regular season arrived, as young tackle Andre Dillard was lost for the season due to a torn pectoral, prompting the Eagles to bring Peters back to the left tackle and forced Philadelphia looking elsewhere for a replacement for the right guard.
Peters struggled mightily while battling a toe problem in a Week 11 loss to Cleveland, however, with his problems fully visible in the second half when he failed to establish a solid foundation to resist to Browns defensive end Olivier Vernon. The pass-rusher pushed Peters inside shoulder and sacked Carson Wentz in the end zone, securing and capturing Philadelphia’s troubles in one game.
Peters should find things easier on the inside, while the healthier Mailata will give him a chance on the outside. As for the right tackle, rookie Jack Driscoll is listed as Johnson’s replacement, leaving Philadelphia with an offensive line from Mailata, Isaac Seumalo, Jason Kelce, Peters and Driscoll. It’s a group that is a long way from the usually excellent starting five that would include Brooks, Johnson and Dillard, who were fortunate enough to show improvement in his second season before his injury ended his season prematurely.
At 3-6-1, Philadelphia still has a shot at winning football’s worst division, but these changes up front won’t help matters for Wentz, who is mired in his worst professional season. The Eagles are also the last in the NFL in sacks allowed, and that was before the last injuries resulted in another jerk. Things are only getting tougher in Philadelphia as the schedule approaches December.
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