Just a few seasons ago, the Philadelphia Eagles had the best offensive line in football. But with age and coaching changes, that group looks significantly different in 2026.
Future Hall of Famer Jason Kelce retired after the 2023 season. Then, following the 2024 season, starting guard Mekhi Becton left in free agency. And after last year, we began to have long-term questions about multiple other starters.
Starting right guard Tyler Steen is an unrestricted free agent next spring. Another future Hall of Famer, Lane Johnson, is likely retiring at the end of the season. And starting left guard Landon Dickerson, at just 27 years old, also has significant questions about his future.
Dickerson dealt with injuries throughout the 2025 NFL season, and after just one game in 2026, he went to IR. At his best, Dickerson had emerged as one of the best guards in the NFL. But if the injuries continue to pile up there will be cause for concern from the Philadelphia brass.
And all of this is happening without longtime offensive line guru Jeff Stoutland.
So what will Philadelphia do if three starting spots are suddenly in question entering 2027? The answer could be sitting in the upcoming draft class.
Greg Johnson could give the Eagles exactly what their O-line needs
Minnesota's Greg Johnson is a perfect fit for where the Eagles will be next offseason. Johnson's main position is left guard, so if there's any question about Dickerson for next season, Johnson can slide into that spot right away.
But Johnson is also extremely versatile. He has played at least a full game at every position during his time at Minnesota. And while his game translates best to guard at the NFL level, he's comfortable and consistent moving around.
Johnson's versatility would give Philadelphia options. The Eagles could bring back Steen at guard, move him outside to tackle or turn to Markel Bell at right tackle. In any of those scenarios, Johnson could slide into the lineup wherever he's needed most.
Johnson could even play center if Philadelphia wanted to move Cam Jurgens back to guard full time.
Johnson's best position is guard, but the flexibility he brings would allow the Eagles to bring him in and mold their line however they see fit. And because Johnson already has experience at all of these positions, I'm not worried about stunting his development if he changes positions once or twice.
Aside from versatility, Johnson brings talent to the line. Johnson is listed at 6-foot-6, 325 pounds, and brings a lot of size and strength to the position. He creates a clean pocket in pass protection and is effective at opening up lanes in the run game.
And despite not being the best athlete or blocker in space, he's good enough to be effective on combo blocks, pulls, and at the second level.
How early would the Eagles need to draft Greg Johnson?
Right now, I have a 77 grade on Johnson, which puts him right at the end of the second round, but we know offensive linemen always get pushed up. Several draft boards currently have him in or around the top 30-40 prospects. With the increased draft value for interior linemen and Johnson's flexibility, I can see a world where he sneaks into the first round.
If Philadelphia definitely wanted Johnson, all indicators say they should be willing to use their first-round pick on him, assuming they finish in the bottom half of the 2027 draft order. But at the very least, Philadelphia would likely have to trade into the top of the second round to ensure Johnson would be available to them.
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