“You know, I learned in recent months that it’s hard to get to the mountaintop, but it’s even harder to stay.” While this discovery is a new one for Saquon Barkley, for the veterans who have seen it all, it brings a more sobering reality. The Eagles sit at a perilous crossroads this offseason. Even amid the euphoria of a recent Super Bowl triumph, veteran OT Lane Johnson is sounding alarm bells that every championship team hears at some point: roster upheaval threatens the fragile chemistry that fuels greatness.

Lane Johnson is no stranger to postseason battles or the intense grind required to reach the peak. As a cornerstone of the Eagles’ offensive line since 2013 and a 2x Super Bowl champ, he knows the stakes better than anyone, and also the risks those stakes carry. He openly acknowledges the fragility of a championship roster’s core, noting, “Super Bowl teams, you lose so many guys, free agency… some of that nucleus is broken up a little.” And with a broken nucleus, the chances of a Super Bowl sequel grow dimmer.

On the WIP Morning Show on 94 WIP Sports Radio, Lane Johnson delivered the harsh truths. Though the Eagles soared to victory last season, the history Johnson draws on casts a long shadow. The reality? Teams that lose key pieces often start slow, falter, or get distracted. The question for Philly now is whether the team can recapture its magic amid roster shake-ups and the inevitable distractions that come with championship follow-ups. Johnson recalled the 2018 season. Back when the Eagles were off to a rocky start, but ultimately won the Super Bowl. Still, the years after that were marked with ‘almost-but’ stories. “And then 2020 or 2022, or three, started off hot and then took a dumpster dive in the end. But through both of those, I think what I remember more is just being distracted.” 

For Johnson and the franchise, the follow-up to a great season has always been marked with distractions. In a city that demands only the best, and still questions every success, the pressure’s always turned up high. For Johnson and Co., the 2020-2023 window was marked by a hot start but a “dumpster dive” fueled by the pressure of trying to “hit a home run every game… just trying to be a hero every game instead of just playing the game.”

Johnson reveals how easily the balance of a championship team can be upset. Not just from losses on the field, but from off-field distractions and the mental traps of chasing heroics every game. Johnson’s assessment highlights a critical warning. The Eagles must manage their mindset if they hope to repeat their championship glory.

On one hand, Johnson’s historical perspective focuses on mental and team chemistry challenges. On the other hand, the Eagles’ roster shake-up presents a more concrete, tactical puzzle. One that could very well be a red flag for them going into the season.

Eagles’ roster worries for ’25 with Vic Fangio at the center

After the Super Bowl win, the Eagles made multiple roster moves, signaling a willingness to adapt. But it also revealed vulnerabilities to be addressed. Just before the training camp kicked off, they even signed their rookie addition, safety Andrew Mukuba, to his 4-year rookie deal. The offensive line depth, despite Lane Johnson’s dominance, needs grooming of successors. There’s the obvious quest to rapidly sync new names to the veteran squad. But under Jalen Hurts and returning standout Saquon Barkley, the offense, for the most part, looks promising. The headache, however, lies in the trenches.

Under the defensive brilliance of Vic Fangio, the Eagles soared high last year. But the pressure for this year is higher with many veterans far away from the franchise now. Darius Slay, CJ Gardner-Johnson, Josh Sweat, and Milton Williams, the stalwarts of Eagles’ defense, have gone away to other franchises. Even the iron wall, Brandon Graham, has hung up his cleats after last season. Fangio’s hopes now ride on playmakers like Nakobe Dean, Nolan Smith Jr., and Sydney Brown. Rookies like Mukuba and Ty Robinson are expected to develop fast, matching up to their draft hype. But the Eagles didn’t stop there. Their most recent addition came just hours before the training camp kicked off: former San Antonio Brahmas DE Jacob Sykes. Right about now, the trenches look like a swirling vortex of entropy for Fangio. The stakes? As high as the Eagles can fly.

Vic Fangio expects good results from the new faces, but knows the stakes very well. “Some of those guys in that second list have to become like those guys in the first list, and I don’t know how that’s going to turn out, but I look at us really basically the same one year to the next. The names have changed. Hopefully we’ll get the same results from these new guys that we got from a lot of the new guys last year.”

Cautious optimism aside, the Eagles must heed Johnson’s warning and take action: avoid the pitfalls of distraction and ego-driven plays, and effectively integrate the roster changes without losing their edge. Can they do it? Well, that’s a question we’re eagerly waiting to get answered this season.