For the first time in 10 weeks, Lane Johnson will be able to step foot into the NovaCare Complex on Monday, returning from a lengthy suspension.
That leaves him just three days before the Eagles’ Thursday night game against the Giants.
Will head coach Doug Pederson play Johnson coming back on a short week?
“Well, if we’re in our current injury situation at tackle, I think it’s almost a no-brainer that we have to put him out there, even on a short week,” Pederson said. “And we just have to protect that side. We can move Isaac (Seumalo) back inside. We’ll wait until Monday, get him back in here, see where he’s at health-wise and all that. But until that time, we’ll go with what we've got.”
Pederson has not been allowed to be in contact with Johnson throughout the suspension and on Friday said he hasn’t tried to keep tabs on him.
Previously, Pederson seemed to be leaning toward starting Johnson upon his return, but the head coach made it sound much more definite on Friday.
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Johnson was playing at a Pro Bowl level before his 10-game suspension for a second failed PED test kicked in. Before his suspension, the Eagles were 3-1. Since, they’ve gone 2-7 and have been virtually eliminated from playoff contention.
For the first six games of Johnson’s suspension, rookie Halapoulivaati Vaitai filled in. After a rough first game, Vaitai seemed to settle down, but suffered an MCL sprain during the Seattle game.
From there, Allen Barbre shifted from left guard to right tackle and played there until he left the last game with a hamstring injury. Then Matt Tobin filled in but hurt his knee and landed on IR. If Barbre, who is questionable, can’t go this weekend, Isaac Seumalo will become the Eagles’ fifth right tackle this season.
But it looks like right tackle No. 1 will be starting again next Thursday.
