The Philadelphia Eagles completed a trade on Sunday evening to acquire offensive tackle Fred Johnson from the Jacksonville Jaguars. In exchange, the Eagles sent a 2026 seventh-round draft pick to Jacksonville. ESPN’s Adam Schefter first reported the news, which was later confirmed by NBC Sports Philadelphia. Earlier in the same day, the Eagles also traded for quarterback Sam Howell from the Minnesota Vikings. So, this month alone, general manager Howie Roseman has executed four trades.
Johnson, 28, previously played for the Eagles during the 2022 through 2024 seasons. He appeared in all 34 regular-season games and five playoff games for Philadelphia over those two years. He then signed a one-year contract with the Jaguars in free agency that carried a base salary of $1.17 million, according to Over The Cap. Johnson started six games for the Eagles in the 2023 regular season, five at left tackle and one at right tackle. He logged 482 offensive snaps in total. His best performance came in Week 8 of the 2023 season against the Cincinnati Bengals, where he faced All-Pro defensive end Trey Hendrickson. Hendrickson finished that year with 17.5 sacks but did not record a quarterback hit in that game.
The Eagles identified offensive line depth as a concern during the preseason, especially at tackle behind starters Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson. Mailata is currently in concussion protocol, and left guard Landon Dickerson is dealing with a knee injury. Candidates for swing tackle duties, including Matt Pryor and Kendall Lamm, struggled during the preseason. Darian Kinnard, another tackle option, was traded on Sunday to the Green Bay Packers in exchange for a 2027 sixth-round pick. Johnson’s return provides additional depth at a position where the team has been looking for stability.
Sportsbooks have accounted for Philadelphia’s roster activity in their current odds. DraftKings lists the Eagles as 6.5-point favorites in their Week 1 opener against the Dallas Cowboys, with the total set at 45.5. Futures markets show Philadelphia’s Super Bowl odds between +700 and +750 across major operators. At Caesars, the Eagles are +700 to win the Super Bowl, +320 to win the NFC, −160 to win the NFC East, and −425 to make the playoffs, with a win total of 11.5 set at Over +110 and Under −130.
FanDuel prices them at +750 for the Super Bowl, +370 to win the NFC, and +360 to make the Super Bowl, while BetMGM posts them at +700 for the championship, having opened at +650 in February. Covers lists the team at +700 for the Super Bowl, +300 for the NFC, −150 for the division, −400 to make the playoffs, and Over 10.5 wins at −170. Quarterback Jalen Hurts’ MVP odds range between +1700 and +2000, depending on the sportsbook. His passing yards prop at FanDuel is set at 3175.5 with −114 odds on both the over and under. Market adjustments have reflected injuries to Mailata and Dickerson and the acquisition of Howell as quarterback depth, while futures pricing has remained steady within the top tier of the league.
Johnson began his career in 2019 as an undrafted free agent out of Florida with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He moved to the Cincinnati Bengals later that season and appeared in 23 games there. From 2019 through 2022, he also played in five games with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Across those four seasons, he started a total of eight games before joining the Eagles. He signed with Philadelphia’s practice squad in 2022 and worked with offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland. Johnson has described Stoutland’s guidance as critical to extending his NFL career.
In 2023, Johnson was called into action during Week 3 in a win over the New Orleans Saints. He said afterward that he became emotional on the sideline following a touchdown by Saquon Barkley, explaining that he thought he would never return to NFL action. His teammates celebrated with him in the locker room following the victory. Months later, Johnson was part of the team that defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22 in Super Bowl LIX at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans on February 9, 2025. After the game, he was seen wearing the team’s Super Bowl hat and holding up the front page of the Times-Picayune with the headline “CHAMPS.”
The Eagles’ acquisition of Johnson on Sunday fits into a sequence of roster changes made in recent weeks. Along with Howell, the team has also traded for cornerback Jakorian Bennett, sending defensive tackle Thomas Booker to the Raiders, and for wide receiver John Metchie III from the Texans, in a deal that included tight end Harrison Bryant and a 2026 fifth-round pick. In return for those trades, the Eagles have added Bennett, Metchie, Howell, Johnson, and multiple sixth-round draft selections in 2026 and 2027.
