The Eagles’ decision to keep retired right tackle Lane Johnson on the 53-man roster for the rest of the season could create more than a little confusion. On Sunday morning, it already created some.
When the team posted its “full list” of inactive players for the Week 5 game against the Jaguars, Johnson’s name wasn’t mentioned. Which implied to the world that Johnson was officially active for the game, despite his announced retirement.
Per the Eagles, Johnson is one of inactive players. Per the league, Johnson was specifically listed as inactive for the game in the team’s communications with the league, in compliance with all rules.
So why not put him on the list of inactive players?
As we understand it, the Eagles coordinated their overall approach to Johnson with the league office. He has declared to the word his retirement. He wasn’t listed on the injury report on Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday.
It’s nevertheless something to watch with each upcoming game. If the Eagles are going to keep Johnson on the roster despite his retirement, the Eagles and the league should ensure that the public is aware of his status at all times.
Think of it this way — if he continues to not be listed on the public injury report or among the publicly-announced inactives, he could (in theory) show up out of the blue to play on a Sunday, with no prior notice.