The Eagles will be without all-pro right tackle Lane Johnson for at least four to six weeks with a Lisfranc foot sprain, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport.
Johnson got hurt in the first quarter of the Eagles’ win over the Lions at the Linc. He limped off the field and down the tunnel and didn’t return to the game.
The Lisfranc sprain is a tear or stretching of the ligament in the foot that connects the middle of the foot to the toes and the severity and recovery time can vary a great deal.
The most notable case in Eagles history was suffered by Duce Staley five weeks into the 2000 season, ending his season. Linebacker Nakobe Dean suffered a Lisfranc in 2003 that cost him eight regular-season games, although he returned for the postseason.
According to NFL Network, the Eagles are hopeful this isn’t a season-ending injury. Johnson is expected to go on Injured Reserve, which would sideline him for a minimum of four games.
The Eagles have seven regular-season games remaining. The postseason is scheduled to begin the weekend of Jan. 10-12, although the Eagles are hoping to secure the No. 1 seed in the NFC and a 1st-round bye.
Johnson, 35, started Sunday night after missing most of the Packers game with an ankle injury. This will be his longest layoff since 2020, when he underwent season-ending ankle surgery in November.
Johnson, the best right tackle in football, is in his 13th season with the Eagles. He’s made six Pro Bowls and five all-pro teams – 1st team twice, 2nd team three times.
The Eagles have a solid backup tackle in Fred Johnson, a 28-year-old former undrafted player out of Florida. Johnson spent his first three seasons with the Bengals and one year with the Buccaneers before joining the Eagles in 2023. He made six starts last year – five at left tackle, one at right tackle – before signing as a free agent with the Jaguars.
But in late August, the Eagles re-acquired Johnson from Jacksonville for a 7th-round pick, and he’s played well this year, mainly as an extra tight end in the Eagles’ big package.
With Johnson at right tackle, the Eagles used Matt Pryor as that extra tight end on four snaps Sunday night against the Lions.
The Eagles’ offensive line, considered the best in the NFL coming into the season, has been decimated all year.
Left guard Landon Dickerson had his knee scoped in August and missed most of the Broncos game and all of the first Giants game with a left ankle injury. Center Cam Jurgens, coming off back surgery, missed most of the Vikings game and the second Giants game and Packers with a knee injury and then left the Lions game early. And Johnson missed most of the Rams game with a neck injury before these last two injuries.
Left tackle Jordan Mailata has played every snap this year and right guard Tyler Steen has played all but five snaps. But overall, Eagles offensive linemen have missed 453 snaps in 10 games.
The Lisfranc sprain is named after Napolean’s physician, Jacques Lisfranc de St. Martin, who diagnosed the injury in horseback riders in Napolean’s calvary who were thrown from their horses and got their foot caught in a stirrup.
Want more insights? Join Working Title - our career elevating newsletter and get the future of work delivered weekly.
