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Eagles' Swing Tackle Battle Could Decide How Far the Offensive Line Goes
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- Eagles' Swing Tackle Battle Could Decide How Far the Offensive Line Goes
One of the Philadelphia Eagles ' most important training camp battles might not be for a starting job, but for the player who steps in if future Hall of Fame tackle Lane Johnson cannot.
Entering his 14th NFL season, there is no doubt that Johnson is still one of the best tackles in the NFL. However, after missing seven games in 2025 and being a year older, there is no guarantee he is a lock to play 17 games.
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With the departure of offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland , who was his coach for the entirety of Johnson's career, rumors of Johnson's retirement floated in news circles, but ultimately the five-time All-Pro decided to return for another season.
The Eagles' offense has been noticeably different without him on the field. Since 2021, Jalen Hurts ' first full season as the starter, Philadelphia has posted a 52-17 record (.754 winning percentage) with Johnson in the lineup. Without the All-Pro tackle, the Eagles have struggled, with just a 7-9 record (.438 winning percentage).
That makes the battle for the primary swing tackle job one of the more important competitions of training camp. Veteran Fred Johnson and rookie Markel Bell have been competing for the role, and with Lane Johnson missing the last four practices for excused personal reasons, both players have gotten first-team reps.
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Fred Johnson entered camp with the experience advantage. He was the primary swing tackle in 2024, starting six games at left tackle while Jordan Mailata was injured. He signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars in that offseason, but Philadelphia quickly reacquired him prior to the 2025 season. Fred Johnson had 10 starts at right tackle while filling in for Lane Johnson, allowing two sacks and 18 total pressures.
However, Fred Johnson has reportedly had an up-and-down camp, struggling against the team's premier edge rushers early, in particular, Jalyx Hunt .
Meanwhile, Bell has played with the starters since practice pads started. Bell is making the transition from left tackle to right tackle, a position the third-round pick never played during his two seasons at Miami . Bell noted the opposite side of the offensive line is a "whole different ball game" for him.
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"There's definitely some growing pains, but I'm getting better each and every day," Bell said. "I'm getting more comfortable and it's going to help me in the long run."
Even with the positional change and learning a new system, guard Tyler Steen has been impressed by what he has seen from Bell.
"Really good player," Steen said. "Rookies sometimes it takes them a while as far as understanding on what we are trying to accomplish on the play, but Markel does a good job of understanding that. Very physically gifted."
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Neither player has created massive separation from each other; this is a battle that will continue for the rest of camp and possibly early in the regular season.
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Aug 5, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
