The Philadelphia Eagles received some massive news as they head into the 2026 season. After dealing with a foot injury that cut his 2025 season short, legendary right tackle Lane Johnson has officially decided to keep playing. This ends weeks of speculation that the two-time Super Bowl champion might retire.

According to a report from Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer, Johnson confirmed his plans to return for a 14th NFL season. McLane shared the news on social media, stating:

“Lane Johnson just told me that he’s officially returning for a 14th season with the #Eagles. Having the future HOF right tackle will be key as HC Nick Sirianni alters the offense under new OC Sean Mannion in 2026.”

During the 2025 season, Lane Johnson started 10 games at right tackle and played at his usual elite level whenever he was on the field. Unfortunately, a serious Lisfranc foot injury in November forced him to miss the final seven games of the regular season, as well as the Eagles’ playoff loss to the 49ers.

Because of this significant time away, he missed out on being named an All-Pro for the first time in several years.

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The physical toll of the injury and a long recovery process led Johnson to consider retirement seriously. However, he has spent the offseason working hard on his rehab to regain his strength. He recently put those retirement rumors to rest by even posting a photo of himself in uniform to show fans he’s ready to get back to work in 2026.

A few days ago, former Eagles running back LeSean McCoy had also commented on this after speaking with Johnson. “Lane Johnson ain’t going nowhere. I talked to Lane. He ain’t going nowhere. He ain’t going nowhere.”

On Wednesday morning, NFL insider Adam Schefter also resonated that same feeling. “I do expect that Lane Johnson will be back. I have heard the Landon Dickerson conversation [on potential retirement], I don’t know how real it is or isn’t; but I’d be surprised if Lane Johnson isn’t back.”

Johnson’s return provides much-needed stability for an Eagles team undergoing major changes. The team has a new offensive coordinator, Sean Mannion, and a new offensive line coach, Chris Kuper, following the resignation of longtime coach Jeff Stoutland. 

Having a veteran leader and future Hall of Famer like Johnson will be vital as the team learns a new system and looks to return to championship form. But even if Johnson helps the team maintain its stability on the field, it continues to struggle with a complex financial situation.

Eagles find themselves in a complex situation after voiding contracts of 10 players

The Philadelphia Eagles are currently managing a complex financial situation after the contracts of 10 players were officially voided this week. This procedural move has triggered a significant acceleration of “dead money,” pushing approximately $33.5 million onto the 2026 salary cap.

 According to recent data from contract tracking sites like Spotrac and Over The Cap, this brings the team’s total projected dead cap for 2026 to a staggering $73.8 million—one of the highest figures in the league. This is a stark reminder of the long-term costs associated with aggressive cap management.

The bulk of this financial burden comes from “void years,” a strategy frequently used by General Manager Howie Roseman to spread out signing bonuses and lower immediate cap hits. The most notable impact comes from tight end Dallas Goedert; his 2021 extension alone is contributing roughly $20.5 million in dead money now that the deal has voided.

Other players contributing to this total include veteran defensive end Brandon Graham ($5.8 million), linebacker Azeez Ojulari ($1.8 million), and punter Braden Mann ($1.4 million), along with smaller hits from players like Jahan Dotson and Reed Blankenship.

While this approach has historically allowed the Eagles to remain “all-in” and sign high-profile free agents, it creates a looming “credit card bill” that must eventually be paid. Now, Roseman has fewer buttons to push to create space, which could complicate efforts to retain young stars or build around quarterback Jalen Hurts in the coming years.

Fortunately, the situation is not set in stone. The Eagles can still mitigate some of these charges by re-signing key players like Goedert or Graham before the new league year officially begins. By converting these dead money hits into new bonuses on fresh contracts, the team can once again continue to move forward.