With all the chaos that went on with the Philadelphia Eagles' offense in 2025, there are sure to be plenty of changes on that side of the ball. One thing the Eagles will be relying on though is Lane Johnson playing right tackle.
Still, entering his age-36 season and already dealing with serious injuries throughout the 2025 season, Johnson won't be in his post forever. Which is why fellow tackle Caleb Lomu was the Eagles' pick at No. 23 in Jordan Reid of ESPN's latest mock draft.
“Future Hall of Fame right tackle Lane Johnson sat out eight games in 2025 and will be 36 next season,” Reid wrote. “The Eagles are known for planning ahead and drafting heir apparents to long-term veterans before they are needed. Lomu has plenty of potential and can play either tackle spot, but he must improve his play strength. Ideally, he'll get time to increase that strength while learning behind Johnson, but Johnson's age and durability concerns could force Lomu to play earlier than expected.”
Johnson is under contract through the 2027 season. Once his deal is over, or earlier if he decides to retire after 2026, the Eagles will need to take finding his replacement much more serious. But if they already have him in place via their 2026 first-round pick, that problem becomes much less of a concern.
Lomu spent three years at Utah, appearing in 27 games. The offensive linemen was named to the The Athletic's All-Freshman team back in 2024. One year later, Lomu earned First-team All-Big Ten honors.
In Philadelphia, Lomu would have the opportunity to learn behind a legend in Johnson. Furthermore, if injuries do pop up again, he would be able to show his potential right away. Overall, Lomu gives the Eagles depth in the short-term and their new right tackle in the long-term.
That is of course if Lomu makes it to No. 23. Teams across the league are always in need of offensive line help. With Johnson's career almost over, so will the Eagles.
