Lane Johnson retired Tuesday after 14 seasons, and the Philadelphia Eagles' right tackle job now belongs to former Miami left tackle Markel Bell, who has already started in Johnson's place.
Johnson, 36, was inactive for personal reasons in Sunday's 24-20 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, then said his family priorities had changed and that he needed to focus on his mental health. He had played three games in 2026.
Bell, a 6-foot-9, 346-pound rookie taken 68th overall in April, has played in all four games and made the Rams game his first start.
Thank you. 🦅 pic.twitter.com/up2kH1K40p
— Lane Johnson (@LaneJohnson65) October 6, 2026
Lane Johnson ends illustrious career in the NFL
Johnson was the No. 4 pick in 2013 and finished as a six-time Pro Bowl tackle and a two-time Super Bowl champion.
Bell has played 62 offensive snaps through four weeks, 26% of the Eagles' total. He found out he was starting only a couple of hours before kickoff. That is a tough situation for any rookie, so there is reason to believe that will be better this next week against Jacksonville in London.
Miami fans know Eagles fans are in good hands
Bell started all 16 games at left tackle for Miami in 2025, after five starts in 2024 when Jalen Rivers was hurt, and before that he played at Holmes Community College.
Pro Football Focus graded him 70.3 overall on 826 snaps, 99th among 629 qualified tackles, with an 83.8 pass-blocking grade that ranked 16th. He allowed nine pressures, no sacks and one hit on 440 pass-blocking snaps, and he was flagged six times.
In addition to his size, Bell has elite length, with arms measuring at 36 3/8 inches. Despite not having played right tackle in college, the Eagles put him there in the spring when Johnson wasn't present for voluntary workouts, and again in August, when Johnson missed four practices and Bell took first-team reps.
Looking ahead to Sunday
Bell was a part of one of the best offensive lines in college football last season. He was a force and a big reason that Miami made a run in the 2026 CFP. While the NFL is a different beast, Bell has the measurables, the college experience, and the opportunity to be very good in the league.
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