Lane Johnson’s Suspension Upheld

Lane Johnson‘s 10-game suspension has been upheld by the NFL, attorney Steve Zashin tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Johnson’s ban initially came down over the summer, but he has been fighting the decision. Now, the fight is over and Johnson will be out of action until Philly’s Week 16 game against the Giants. Lane Johnson (vertical)

Johnson tested positive for PEDs in August but he claimed that he unknowingly took a tainted amino acid. His previous positive test for PEDs probably hurt his credibility on the matter. Johnson had $25MM in remaining guarantees on his contract, but that money is no longer secured thanks to the suspension.

Without Johnson, the Eagles will be missing a key part of their O-Line for the bulk of the season. Johnson, the fourth overall pick in 2013, has been a starter for the Eagles since the team drafted him out of Oklahoma, playing primarily at right tackle before spending some time at left tackle in 2015.

Now that Johnson’s ban has been upheld, Philadelphia will reportedly start Halapoulivaati Vaitai at right tackle in order to leave Allen Barbre at left guard.

This past season, Pro Football Focus ranked Johnson 24th among 81 qualified offensive tackles.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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