3. Lane Johnson, Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles’ right tackle Lane Johnson struggled with injuries during the 2019 season, but it should not diminish his overall level of play. Last year Johnson was another stud in pass protection, as he allowed just one sack (Week 7 against the Dallas Cowboys) and a total of only four quarterback hits and 23 quarterback pressures.
Another idea bandied about on #OLTwitter is the notion that “finishing is non-negotiable.” If you want an example of that on film, watch what Johnson does against Ryan Kerrigan from their first meeting last season:
Lane Johnson anchor and finish on Kerrigan 🔥 pic.twitter.com/1RwTPz9lgR
— Brandon Thorn (@BrandonThornNFL) September 10, 2019
On this play against the Green Bay Packers, Johnson takes the fight to Za’Darius Smith, one of the NFL’s top pass rushers:
Finally, here’s some appreciation for the processing and awareness here against the Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins use a “radar” defensive front, trying to disguise where the pressure is coming from:
In addition to reading the front perfectly, Johnson flashes some impressive lateral movement skills to handle the inside rush attempt and protect Carson Wentz.
The Eagles’ offensive line might look a bit different in 2020, with changes such as Jason Peters kicking inside, but Johnson should remain a rock solid tackle for the Eagles as they try and repeat in the division in 2020.