After receiving a huge extension about a week ago, I’m here to unnecessarily argue how good Lane Johnson is. To me, he’s not only the best player on the Eagles, or the best tackle in the NFL, he’s the best offensive linemen in the NFL.
Just look at the numbers. Lane Johnson has not allowed a sack since week 11 of the 2020 season. That’s two full seasons and 2,036 snaps without allowing a sack. In 2022, he did not allow a single QB hit despite playing 614 total pass-blocking snaps. And in his nine-year career, Johnson has never allowed a sack in the redzone.
What’s even more impressive about these numbers is that Lane Johnson plays in a less tackle-friendly scheme, where he almost never receives help on his side. Eagles fans know that seeing a chip block on the right side or a tight end lined up next to Lane for pass-protection reasons, is an extreme rarity. Take a player like Trent Williams, who is just about the only player that people will dare to rank ahead of Johnson. In the 49ers scheme, Williams always plays beside an in-line TE and he plays way less true one-on-one pass blocking reps, because the 49ers don’t pass that much, and even when they do, their passes typically take the form of non-traditional dropbacks, like bootlegs and screens.
Additionally, Lane Johnson is putting up this production against great competition. He goes up against the best edge-rusher, Micah Parsons, twice every year and still manages to always win the matchup. In fact, Johnson has not allowed a sack to Parsons in his career.
And even if you don’t want to acknowledge his insane statistical production in a less tackle-friendly scheme against great competition every year, you at least have to admit that he’s the toughest offensive lineman in the whole league. Johnson played three games in the 2022 playoffs with a torn abductor and did not allow a single sack, pressure, or hit. It is remarkable that he played at the same elite level he always has through such a significant injury.
Whether you want to look at statistical measures, schematic details, game-film, competition, or character traits, the answer is always the same. Lane Johnson is the best in any context, and I expect him to continue to be that until the day he retires.