The Eagles continue to be active in the trade market in the leadup to the regular season. Following earlier trades to acquire wide receiver John Metchie from Houston and quarterback Sam Howell from Minnesota, Philadelphia is bringing offensive tackle Fred Johnson back from Jacksonville in exchange for a 2026 seventh-round pick, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The swap is now official.
Johnson came into the league as an undrafted free agent out of Florida in 2019, initially signing with the Steelers and making the 53-man roster but getting waived in October without playing a game and being claimed by the Bengals. He spent three years in Cincinnati as a backup lineman. In those three seasons, he appeared in 23 games, making starts in eight of them. The team placed a restricted free agent tender on him in 2022, and though he signed it, he was cut.
Johnson quickly rebounded, landing with the Buccaneers, but after five game appearances, Tampa Bay waived him, as well. After clearing waivers, he signed to the Eagles’ practice squad and watched from the practice squad as they lost in the Super Bowl to Kansas City.
After signing a reserve/futures contract with the team, Johnson earned a swing tackle role behind starters Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson. The team gave him a two-year contract for the role, in which he appeared in all 17 games of the 2023 season. His presence was felt even more in 2024. In addition to appearing in every game of the season, Johnson made six spot starts — one at right tackle and five on the blind side.
The Eagles allowed Johnson to walk in free agency, and the 28-year-old signed with the Jaguars. Interestingly, Jacksonville had already signed Chuma Edoga as a potential swing tackle behind Walker Little and Anton Harrison. The team had also added former Ravens lineman Patrick Mekari, who notably started games at all five positions on Baltimore’s line during his tenure there. Sure enough, it seems all that versatility made Johnson superfluous, and Jacksonville was willing to part with him for a mere seventh-rounder.
In Philadelphia, Johnson will be welcomed home with open arms. Per Zach Berman of The Athletic, swing tackle had become a position of concern for the defending champions. The Eagles had hopes that Matt Pryor or Kendall Lamm might step up and claim the role, but bringing Johnson right back into the role he played last year is all too simple a solution. On top of that, Johnson’s $1MM base salary will hardly register on the team’s salary cap, as Eliot Shorr-Parks of 94WIP.com points out.
Ultimately, it was only a short time away from The City of Brotherly Love, so Johnson should be able to find his way around quite easily despite the quick approach of the team’s season opener. The Eagles will hope not to see him on the field too often, but they’ll surely sleep better knowing he’s back in the building.