The Eagles are making a late-season roster move that says as much about their current tackle situation as it does about Fred Johnson. The veteran lineman, who once looked like useful insurance because of his experience and 22 career starts, is being waived on November 13, 2026 after playing just 24 offensive snaps this season.
That is not a trivial number in context. Fred Johnson was re-signed in March 2026 to a one-year, $2.1MM deal, but his role has shrunk as the Eagles have adjusted to life after Lane Johnson’s in-season retirement. With rookie Markel Bell getting work at right tackle, the veteran became easier to move off the roster than to keep in reserve.
What happens next
Because the move comes after the trade deadline, Fred Johnson does not immediately become a free agent. He has to clear waivers first, and any claiming team would take on his remaining base salary. He will remain on waivers until Monday at 3pm CT, which gives the rest of the NFL a narrow window to decide whether his experience is worth the cost.
The bigger picture is straightforward: the Eagles kept him around because a 29-year-old tackle with 22 starts can still stabilize a depth chart, but the production never matched the contract or the need. In the 2024 season, Fred Johnson started six games and logged 351 snaps at left tackle and 119 at right tackle, so this is not a player without a track record. Still, roster moves in November are rarely sentimental, and the Eagles have chosen to lean in a different direction.
Fred Johnson’s path through the league has been a long one, from entering the NFL as a Bengals UDFA in 2019 to stints with Tampa Bay in 2022 and then a run with the Eagles that began with a practice squad deal in November 2022. He stayed on via a reserve/futures deal, signed on again in March 2026, and now finds himself on the move once more. For the Eagles, the message is clear: the depth chart has changed, and the backup plan is changing with it.
