Lane Johnson signs a $72M extension with the Eagles
PHILADELPHIA >> Lane Johnson signed a massive contract extension with the Eagles Friday that ranks him as the highest paid offensive linemen in the league.
The four-year pact is worth $72 million, per the NFL Network, including $54.5 million guaranteed. Johnson had two years remaining on a sixyear, $63 million extension.
The Eagles took Johnson, 29, the two-time Pro Bowl performer off the board with the fourth overall pick in the 2013 draft. They are 59-37 (.614) in games Johnson plays and 11-12 (.478) in games he doesn’t play.
Johnson thanked the Eagles, his coaches and Eagles fans on his verified Twitter account.
“I have extended my stay in Philadelphia and I’m looking forward to the next four years,” Johnson said in a video. “Fly Eagles fly, I’m looking forward to this weekend.”
With the exception of left tackle Jason Peters, the Eagles’ starting offensive line is under contract through 2022.
Johnson is back in the lineup this week after missing the previous game with a concussion. All-Pro guard Brandon Brooks also has returned after playing only a handful of snaps due to illness last week.
Johnson, Brooks. kicker Jake Elliott and long-snapper Rick Lovato all have agreed to contract extensions this month.
On a conference call Johnson stated the obvious — he loved the deal and loves the team.
“This organization is known for getting contracts done early and making smart moves,” Johnson said. “My whole goal is just to stay here and be an Eagle the rest of my career. Moving forward, that’s all I want to do.”
Earlier in the day, Eagles head coach Doug Pederson said he was excited for the players who decided to stick around long-term.
“We know this business is tough and guys sometimes try to move on and find other spots,” Pederson said. “To be able to take our own guys and extend them and have that consistency for the next four or five years … It just helps your team.”
Elliott won’t forget this Thanksgiving week.
It’s safe to say he was thankful before the Eagles handed him a fiveyear, $21.8 million contract extension.
“It all worked itself out pretty quickly,” Elliott said. “Obviously I’m happy to get it done now and kind of just focus on football.”
Elliott is the only NFL kicker to make all of his field goals this season, the 2017 fifth-round pick of the Cincinnati Bengals made all 14 of his attempts. He’s kicked three-game winners for the Eagles during his career, including the club-record 61yard walk-off shot against the New York Giants.
Unlike Eagles long-snapper Rick Lovato, who shopped for a home after signing a four-year extension a few week ago, Elliott is a bit more superstitious about his future.
“Obviously you never want to get too comfortable in a situation,” Elliott said. “And obviously it feels good to have something in writing. Philly is a place that has really embraced me, and I’ve embraced the city. I love it here. It’s a crazy ride that I’ve been on, kind of being plucked off the practice squad a couple years ago to now and being where I’m at.”
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Wide receivers Alshon Jeffery and Nelson Agholor are expected back this weekend when the Eagles oppose the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium. At the same time, leading receiver Zach Ertz, who has played almost every offensive snap of every game, is questionable with a strained hamstring.
Barring a dramatic recovery, the Eagles will play without running back Jordan Howard, their leading rusher and touchdown maker for the third straight game. He hasn’t been cleared for contact.
••• Pederson is counting on Eagles fans to give his team a lift in Miami.
The coach has been told that several Eagles fans will attend the game against the Dolphins, whose disenchanted fans have been more than willing to get rid of their tickets rather than watch a losing team.
“Our fans travel well,” Pederson said. “Obviously South Florida would be a great destination this time of year for Eagles fans to get out of the cold, much like it was in L.A. a couple of years ago. But I would expect a nice crowd there for us. It’s a nice place to play. I’m excited to get down there.”
The temperature at Eagles practice in Philly was a brisk 45 degrees Friday. In Miami it was 79. At game time Sunday it should be 81.
The Eagles (5-6) are 10-point favorites over the Dolphins (2-9), who after winning two straight games were shelled by Buffalo and Cleveland.
“They’re a good football team that we’re playing,” Pederson said. “I know they’ve battled, especially on defense they’ve battled through some injuries and they’ve played with a lot of different guys. This team plays hard and they play fast and they’re aggressive. And you have to be 100 percent ready to go, otherwise you’re going to be disappointed on that plane ride home. … They’re still fighting. They’re still playing.”
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No player has been more upbeat than Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham.
Whether it’s helping young players, providing a shoulder for the veterans or working with the coaching staff to spark the entire team the veteran captain has been a positive influence on a consistent basis.
“It means a lot,” Pederson said. “This guy, he comes in here every single day with a smile on his face. He’s energetic. He tackles practice and he tackles the meetings. It’s an infectious personality. It’s what you need. You need that this time of year as we make this push. He’s just a great leader of this team and somebody that I go to from time to time to kind of keep that infectious smile going and that energy going with the team.”
When Pederson senses a bad vibe in practice or a meeting, he unabashedly huddles with Graham, who by all accounts has an amazing way of reaching players.
“In Sundays right before kickoff, he and I usually come together,” Pederson said. “He just tells me, ‘Hey, I got you today. We’re going to bring the juice and we’re going to bring the energy.’ That’s the same way it is throughout the week, is being able to go to him and say, ‘today I feel like the guys’ vibe is down. I need you to pick these guys up a little bit.’ He says, ‘I got you, Coach.’
“That’s the kind of player you like.”