Feb 9, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle Fred Johnson (74) against the Kansas City Chiefs during Super Bowl LIX at Ceasars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
On Sunday evening, the Jacksonville Jaguars and first-year general manager James Gladstone executed a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles, sending away offensive tackle Fred Johnson for draft picks.
Johnson signed a one-year deal in March with Jacksonville.
"Another Eagles trade: Jaguars are sending OT Fred Johnson back to Philadelphia in exchange for a 2026 seventh-round pick, per sources," reported ESPN's Adam Schefter. "Johnson now returns to the team he played for from 2022-'24."
Johnson, a Super Bowl LIX champion, is entering his seventh NFL season. A 2019 NFL Draft UDFA out of Florida, the West Palm Beach native return to the Sunshine State marked the second time in his career he's played near his home as a professional, having spent the 2022 NFL season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He has played in 62 games and started 14 of them.
The one of the big questions this offseason revolved around the left tackle position or more accurately, would Walker Little be able to lock down the position, especially given the new responsibilities of Liam Coen's offense.
While Little already had both hands on the seat, Johnson's departure guarantees Little is Coen's tackle for the future, at least through this season. Little of course was signed to an extension before Coen and Gladstone were hired.
If there were any intention to trade away Anton Harrison, the Jaguars' decision to move Johnson, a player they signed while keeping Harrison, a player Trent Baalke drafted, should clearly indicate their feelings towards the player and the right tackle position.
At least to an extent, there is still the possibility that Patrick Mekari could be flexed out to tackle but we'll have to wait and see. For Harrison, his career just got new life.
He's on the third year of his deal. He's less than 24 months from becoming a free agent and we're less than 12 months away from when the Jaguars need to make a decision regarding his fifth-year option. If he wants to reach that second contract, the decision to move on from Johnson should be the thing needed to get Harrison to emulate the things he did at Oklahoma.
The Gladstone administration isn't messing around. Either get it rolling or get out.
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