Over the next few weeks leading up to training camp, we’ll be counting down the top 25 most important Eagles for the 2026 season.

25. Eli Stowers
24. Marcus Epps
23. Dontayvion Wicks
22. Tyler Steen
21. Moro Ojomo
20. Drew Mukuba
19. Jihaad Campbell
18. Nolan Smith
17. Jalyx Hunt
16. Dallas Goedert
15. Makai Lemon
14. Riq Woolen
13. Cam Jurgens
12. Landon Dickerson
11. Jordan Davis
10. Jonathan Greenard
9. Zack Baun
8. Cooper DeJean
7. Jordan Mailata
6. Saquon Barkley
5. Quinyon Mitchell
4. DeVonta Smith
3. Lane Johnson

He’s 36 now and entering Year 14 in the NFL. But when he’s healthy, there aren’t many players in the NFL who are better than Lane Johnson.

He’s a future Hall of Famer who hasn’t lost a step yet. The Eagles need that to continue in 2026.

Last season, Johnson was playing at a familiarly high level until he suffered a Lisfranc injury in November. The plan was for Johnson to eventually return and that was the hope even into the playoffs. But ahead of the playoff game against the 49ers, Johnson’s foot swelled again and he wasn’t able to go. 

While Johnson is at the age where he considers retirement after every season, he actually wasn’t very close to hanging up his cleats this offseason.

“I didn’t want to go out that way,” Johnson explained this spring.

Johnson said last month that he was feeling healthy again.

“I’ve been able to play through stuff throughout the years but this was just something that took time,” Johnson said. “That’s something that I didn’t have at that point of the season. It was probably around February, March when I started to feel 100% but it took some time for it to heal up. I didn’t want to go out on that note last year.”

If you need more proof that Johnson is supremely important to the Eagles — and you probably don’t — you can always just look at the records. Here’s how the Eagles have fared with and without Johnson since the start of the 2016 season (including playoffs):

With Johnson: 94-41-1

Without Johnson: 15-28

In the first 13 seasons of his career, Johnson played for just one offensive line coach, so it’s a big change for him now that Jeff Stoutland is no longer with the organization. While that news was an initial shock for Johnson this offseason, he has bought into the new offense being implemented by offensive coordinator Sean Mannion and seems legitimately excited about it.

“Hey man, I’m about it,” Johnson said. “Coach (Chris) Kuper played for lots of years in the league. Not only coming to me as a coach but as a player, I have a lot of respect for him. Super smart. I just think how this offense here will help us. I think just stretching the field, stressing the defense more. I think it’ll help us with our run blocking angles. I think it’ll help us some in pass pro.

“I’ve never had any guard help all these years. It’s always been 1-on-1 so having the ability to be inside and having the guard come out and help me is a big deal for me. Me likey. Very excited. That’s pretty cool.”