Fog clears, Johnson working hard to prep for the Redskins

PHILADELPHIA » Lane Johnson is sick of memory tests, reflex checks and most of all, baselines.

The worst part of sitting out the Eagles’ last game with a concussion was being away from his teammates.

“I didn’t feel part of the team for the week,” Johnson said after practice Friday. “I was sitting at the house when we played Carolina. I wanted to play. I felt like I could have done really well. It just makes me hungry to go out and play this week.”

Johnson still is fuzzy about when he suffered the concussion, his first in the NFL. He knew something wasn’t right. He felt slow. Eagles trainer Chris Peduzzi and the medical staff shut him down.

“You have a baseline concussion test at the combine,” Johnson said. “Everybody has to do it. In order to get back on the field you have to equal that score or do better. It’s a strenuous process. You can’t go in there and BS it. After the game my score was real high and you want to get back down into the single digits. Mine was in the double digits during the game.”

After three days of practices, Johnson feels like he’s back to normal. That’s good news for the Eagles because he has to block Ryan Kerrigan, the best pass rusher on the Washington Redskins, who oppose the Eagles Monday night at Lincoln Financial Field.

While the coaching staff appreciates the way Hal Vaitai stepped in for Johnson against the Panthers, Big V isn’t the guy you want to put between Kerrigan and franchise quarterback Carson Wentz. Kerrigan killed it against Big V in a win over the Eagles last season.

“I just know he’s a good player, a solid player,” Johnson said of Kerrigan, who has 3½ sacks, second-best on the Redskins. “But every week I’ve been playing against pretty good people, so just another guy up. He’s consistent. He probably plays the hardest on the Redskins. He’s kind of their anchor. I tell him good game after the game but he doesn’t really talk a whole lot during the game. He’s not a trash talking guy. He stays quiet.”

Quiet is OK with Johnson, who doesn’t appreciate being called “roid head” and other insulting things but realizes that goes with the territory as a two-time violator of the NFL’s PEDs policy. The fourth overall pick in the 2013 draft was suspended a total of 14 games in his first four years.

“I’m probably the best version of myself now as far as strength,” Johnson said. “I’m bigger than I have been. I use my hands more effectively. As far as my temperament, I try to play angry. I know what the stigma is over my name and my story. I know the idea that runs through people’s head when they think of me. I just hope they do some re-evaluating over the next part of my career.”

If nothing else, the concussion reminded Johnson how much he enjoys football, and what kind of legacy he wants to leave.

“I just want to make my opponents remember who I am,” Johnson said. “Whenever you game-plan the Eagles, you better know who I am. That’s been my whole mentality.”

••• The early scouting report on newly signed Redskins kicker Nick Rose is that the strong-legged product of Texas kicks field goals … on his kickoffs. That’s 75 yards, people.

Of course there’s a reason the Redskins are the third stop in one year and change for the 6-2, 200-pound Rose.

And there also are reasons he’s the team’s 22nd kicker in 24 seasons, according to reports. David Akers is one of those Washington kickers, and he’s being honored by the Eagles Monday night.

Akers kicked for the Birds from 1999-2010, making 294 of 357 field goal attempts and scoring a clubrecord 1,323 points.

Dustin Hopkins’ hip injury necessitated the signing of Rose.

Rookie Jake Elliott is the fourth Eagles kicker since Akers exited seven years ago. The list includes Alex Henery (2011-13), Cody Parkey (2014-15) and Caleb Sturgis (2015-17).

••• From the vault of Talk of Fame football maestro Rick Gosselin, only three running backs lead their teams in rushing and receiving this season.

That would be LeSean McCoy of the Bills, Todd Gurley of the Rams and Chris Thompson of the Redskins.

Thompson has rushed for 175 yards and two TDs. He’s killing it as a receiver with 340 yards on 18 catches (18.9 average) and two scores.

“Hard to predict that your running back is going to have three 100-yard games receiving in the first five games of the season,” Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins said. “I think it speaks to the fact that players continue to improve in this league.”

••• NOTES » Linebacker Michael Kendricks (hamstring) was limited at practice Friday, joining Jordan Hicks (calf) and cornerback Ronald Darby (ankle) in that designation. Defensive tackles Beau Allen (foot) and defensive Tim Jernigan (ankle) went from partial to full participants.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE Eagles lineman Lane Johnson has put in three days of practice and said he feels free and clear of the concussion that put him out for the Carolina game.