Fred

Johnson

With C Cam Jurgens now a Raven, Kendall is the Eagles’ starting center. Unfortunately, he is not practicing this week, leaving practice squad C/OG Jake Majors as his potential Week 5 fill-in. Potential starting OT Fred Johnson (knee) is practicing.

Johnson returns to the Eagles after starting eight games for them in 2025. The 28-year-old swing tackle has spent each of the last three seasons in Philly, developing as a valuable piece on the offensive line. Though he did not find a starting job elsewhere, Johnson has the opportunity to contribute to the Eagles’ blocking under a new offensive line coach in 2026.

Johnson returns to the Eagles after signing with the Jaguars in March. The 28-year-old will likely be a backup bookend for Philadelphia; a role that he served for the majority of the 2024 season with the club.

The six-year veteran played the last two seasons with the Eagles. He started six of 17 games during the 2024 regular season and appeared in all four games during the playoffs, including Super Bowl LIX. The Jaguars have already signed free agents Patrick Mekari and Robert Hainsey this offseason in hopes of bolstering their offensive line. Pro Football Focus graded the Jacksonville offensive line as the league’s 12th-worst pass blocking unit in 2024.

The quietly productive defensive tackle was added to the injury report this week after practicing with a clean bill of health in Week 1. His consecutive limited participant designations are a positive sign for his Monday night availability. CB Isaiah Rodgers (hand) and LB Devin White (ankle) continued practicing in full. Backup LT Fred Johnson (thumb)

The Bengals released Johnson this week after adding La’el Collins to their offensive line. He’ll join a Bucs offensive line graded by Pro Football Focus as the NFL’s fifth-best pass-blocking unit in 2021.

Johnson was originally extended a tender offer as a restricted free agent, an offer the team announced he signed on Tuesday morning. The Bengals were no longer interested in bringing back Johnson after adding La’el Collins, however, so they are sending him to waivers. Any team that claims him off waivers will owe the roughly $2.4 million value of the restricted free agent tender Johnson signed.

The Bengals last week extended a right or first refusal to Johnson, a restricted free agent. Johnson in 2021 was the team’s top-graded run blocker, per Pro Football Focus. He’ll likely be a rotational guard in 2022 for what will be an improved Cincinnati offensive line.

He would make $2.433 million on the tender in 2022. He’s undrafted, so there would be no compensation if another team made an offer for Johnson. A depth piece for the Bengals, Johnson was the team’s top-graded run blocking tackle in 2021, per Pro Football Focus. He should have a rotational role in 2022 with the Bengals determined to bolster their offensive line.

Johnson was in line to serve as a swing tackle for the Bengals but Cincinnati will be elevating Isaiah Prince to that role today. With Johnson being left off the active roster, the Bengals enter Week 1 with three backup linemen available.