Eagles Release Veteran OT Fred Johnson During Bye Week
Philadelphia parts with its backup tackle a day after agreeing to release Hollywood Brown, thinning the depth behind rookie Markel Bell on a line that has allowed 30 sacks
The Philadelphia Eagles are releasing veteran offensive tackle Fred Johnson, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Friday, the latest in a string of roster moves during the team's Week 10 bye.
The #Eagles are releasing veteran OT Fred Johnson, source says. He's been with the team since 2023.View on X →
Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet): The #Eagles are releasing veteran OT Fred Johnson, source says. He's been with the team since 2023.
Johnson, 29, is in his eighth NFL season after entering the league in 2019 out of Florida. He has been with Philadelphia since 2023, apart from a brief stint in Jacksonville before the Eagles traded to bring him back ahead of the 2025 season. The 6-foot-7, 326-pounder has been a reserve swing tackle who could also fill in at guard, and he appeared in seven of the Eagles' nine games this season without holding a starting job.
The move thins the depth behind rookie right tackle Markel Bell, who has been starting opposite Jordan Mailata after first stepping in when Lane Johnson was inactive earlier this season. The Eagles haven't announced a corresponding move, and John Ojukwu and Kiran Amegadjie remain as reserve tackles on the roster.
It's an odd spot to lose an experienced lineman. The Eagles have allowed 30 sacks through nine games, and the line has already changed a lot this season after the team traded center Cam Jurgens to the Ravens. Philadelphia benched Tanner McKee for Joe Milton last week, and the offense managed just 11 points in Milton's first start, a loss to the Giants.
At 2-7 and last in the NFC East, the Eagles look more focused on the future than on patching holes for this season. Johnson's release comes a day after the team agreed to part ways with receiver Hollywood Brown at his request, and days after Philadelphia sent defensive tackle Jordan Davis to Jacksonville for a 2027 first-round pick and a 2029 second. The Eagles return from the bye on Nov. 22, when they host the Steelers.