Fred Johnson is sticking in Philly. The veteran offensive lineman is re-signing with the Eagles, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. It will be a one-year deal for the 28-year-old.
A former UDFA out of Florida, Johnson has established himself as a key backup during his multi-year stint in Philly. After catching on with the Eagles practice squad in 2022, Johnson emerged as the team’s backup OT in 2023. He got into 17 games that season, although the majority of his snaps came on special teams.
Johnson saw an even larger role in 2024 while filling in for the likes of Lane Johnson and Jordan Mailata, with the backup ultimately starting six of his 17 appearances. He parlayed that performance into a one-year deal with the Jaguars, although he ended up getting dealt back to Philly at the end of the 2025 preseason.
That proved to be a shrewd move for the Eagles, as Johnson proceeded to start a career-high eight games in 2025. Pro Football Focus wasn’t especially fond of his performance, ranking him 64th among 84 qualifying OTs. However, the site was generally bullish on his pass-blocking skills.
Johnson will be back for another season in Philly in 2026, where he’ll be eyeing a similar utility role. As EJ Smith of PHLY Sports notes, the free agent was hoping to garner some starting interest this offseason, but that opportunity never presented itself. Now, he’ll return as the top backup to Johnson and Mailata, although the veteran backup will hear his number called if either of the starters are forced to miss time.