Eagles take another hit: OT Lane Johnson says ankle has 'collapsed' and his season is over
If you’ve watched a Philadelphia Eagles game this season, you’ve seen Lane Johnson either limping off the field or being helped off. It seems that happens multiple times each game.
Johnson’s rough season is over. Johnson told reporters that he’s going to have surgery to fix an ankle that has bothered him all season.
The Eagles entered Week 12 in first place of a terrible NFC East, but they are just 3-6-1 and losing one of their most valuable players won’t help them turn things around over the last six weeks.
Lane Johnson was playing through bad injury
Johnson’s description of his injury hints at what he has been playing through all season.
Johnson said, "The inside of my ankle has collapsed,” via Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Johnson explained that he needs surgery to restore the function of the deltoid ligaments in his ankle, Bowen said. Matt Pryor, a 2018 sixth-round pick with six career starts, could take Johnson’s place the rest of the season.
Johnson was the fourth overall pick of the 2013 draft and has become one of the best right tackles in the NFL. The Eagles have struggled to replace him when he has missed games. But given Johnson’s physical struggles this season, he hasn’t been the same player anyway.
Johnson aims to return next season
Johnson told reporters he wants to return next season and earn his salary. Johnson is slated to make a little less than $9.6 million in base salary next season.
— Lane Johnson (@LaneJohnson65) November 27, 2020
As for this season, the Eagles have yet another hole to fill. They have been battered by injuries and their offensive line has been a problem all year.
Even if Johnson wasn’t 100 percent all season, losing him won’t make their offense any better.
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