What if the Eagles would need to replace Lane Johnson and AJ Brown?

What if the already-way-too-interesting Eagles off-season gets even more interesting with a Lane Johnson retirement announcement and A.J. Brown contract standoff that sends him to another team?

How would Howie approach replacing two near-irreplaceable players? And how should we think about these new guys with what we expect in Mannion’s offense, which will surely change expectations on positions?

Here’s my take on options for each and what I would do.

Likelihood: Low but not zero… Lane is not one to end on a bad season and injury

I’ve put this out of my mind, locking in on Lane retiring after the 2026 or 2027 season, but could he retire this off-season? He’s increasingly talked about time away from his family and taking it year-by-year, but he’s also said as long as he can physically contribute, he likely plays out his deal:

August 2024 Philadelphia Inquirer interview:
“I think physically, I could play to 40. With my movement, I think physically I can do it. What weighs on my mind is just, my kids are getting older, my dad’s getting older and has had some health issues.”

March 2025 press conference:
“I think when you get to this stage of your career, you take it year by year. But physically I feel really good. I was thinking, you know, a few years ago, when I was coming back from all these surgeries that I thought my body was going to start failing or going downhill. But just think with the strengthening and conditioning program we have here, the stuff we do in the off-season, I feel really good. So yeah, as long as I’m feeling good and I feel like I can contribute, yeah, think I’ll continue to play… I love my football family. I’m an only child, so my brothers are here, and I’ve always been in the locker room and that’s how I feel.”

August 2025 Bussin WTB podcast:
“If we win it all this year, I could be done. That’s how I feel.. I’m definitely looking next couple years. I’m signed for two, this and next. Then I’ll really evaluate it. But if we win it all this year, it could be my last.”

What would be the options?

If Lane surprises us and retires and the Eagles know now (or soon), they have a lot more options:

Why you do this one: It’s easy, he’s known, and doesn’t block a draft pick

Big Fred made it known he believes he’s a starter and is going to go somewhere this free agency period where he can start. If the Eagles know this prior to FA, he’s the easy option. Sign him, it would probably take a 2-year deal, and still take a guy in the draft.

The only question is, how long of a deal and how much money does Fred want and is that the same timeline as the Eagles?

---

Why you do this one: I don’t believe much in “Super Bowl windows” as the league is so variable, but he’s a top-of-league RT that keeps the OL strong

This is what I’d do as long as the trade compensation wasn’t insane. Minnesota’s Brian O’Neill turns 31 years old at the start of the season and is in the last year of his deal in Minnesota. The Vikings are in a rough salary cap spot ($40M over the cap in 2026) and trading or releasing O’Neill saves half of that by himself.

Is he good? Yeah. An 8-year vet with almost 8,000 snaps at RT, O’Neill was 15th in the NFL this past season in pass block win rate and 10th in run block win rate (both better numbers than any Eagle). You could make the trade and either keep him for the final year of his deal or give him a small extension, giving yourself another year or two to find a guy in the draft.

What could it take? Here are two recent OT trade comps, one too steep and one I’d do in a second:

• Laremy Tunsil – The Commanders gave up 2025 R3, R7 and 2026 R2, R4 for Tunsil plus a 2025 R4.
• Morgan Moses – The Jets did a R4 pick swap (sending pick 113 and getting back 135) and a R6 pick for Moses

The Tunsil deal is too steep but he also had two years left on his deal when he was traded and due to the contract structure, only cost the Commanders $6.8M in 2025. Moses, 33 years old at the time, similarly graded to O’Neill and entering the final year of his deal, is a better trade comp.

---

Why you do this one: You are really, really sure on a guy in the draft, but it’s not what Howie has done basically ever – drafting and absolutely relying on that player to fill a critical position.

No matter the option, you probably draft a guy this year, and probably high, but it’s incredibly rare for Howie to make a draft pick his only option at a key position. It would probably still require pairing with a 1-year vet.

I’ve spoken about this a lot, but there are three guys that fit the Eagles OT prototype (traits, movement, size, production) and they should have a good spot at more than one of these:

• Monroe Freeling, UGA – He’s my top guy right now, primarily a LT but did play RT in 2024, a guy that has all the traits
• Max Iheanachor, Arizona St – Fast riser with his traits and Senior Bowl performance, he’s still new to football and needs technique refinement
• Blake Miller, Clemson – A guy that actually reminds me of Brian O’Neill, he’s mobile, incredibly experienced at RT, and could start right away but may not have the ceiling of the above two guys

---

Likelihood: Rising… it happens if Howie gets a return

I’ve said previously I think AJ stays, but, more and more, I’m not sure for a couple of reasons. First, the point @PhillyWannaBGM made when I joined his new podcast (go listen to him on Pin Pull if you haven’t, his stuff is great), is right – maybe AJ will force a trade if he doesn’t get more guaranteed money.

Second, while we will need to see what the Mannion offense is, there’s probably a couple of things we can assume from LaFluer’s offense that should be different than the Sirianni offense we have known:

• The X receiver is more of a system piece than an “alpha” expected to just win 1:1, more scheming open of receivers
• Blocking expectations are higher for WRs due to the run game using more outside zone
• YAC is an expectation as WRs are put in position to catch on the move
• More intentional use of short passes or behind the LOS (some will say higher volume than Sirianni which isn’t really correct as AJ and DeVonta both were near the top of the league in short routes)

If Howie can get the return he wants, and he should not settle, AJ leaves a big hole on the roster, especially at X-receiver, but gives an opportunity to bring a different style into the offense. And that’s what we are looking for here:

Why you do this one: He’s a good WR2 that’s familiar with the LaFleur system

Probably the obvious name once Mannion was hired, it does make sense. He’s not AJ-level dominant, but he’s a good-all-around receiver that knows the (likely) system and, importantly, does the dirty work that is going to become more important.

Free agency projections are around $12M AAV which I think are way low – his closest age-production comp is Khalil Shakir who signed a 4-year $60M extension last year. With the cap increasing 9%, Doubs will likely be near $16M AAV.

• High-volume, dependable target, averaging over 80 targets and 55 receptions the past two seasons on teams with Christian Watson, Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, and Matthew Golden
• Fills the X-receiver role
• Average separation ability and YAC abilities
• Underused but plus deep threat
• Probably a bit of an overpay in free agency, but you would be getting immediate fit
• Turning 26 this April

---

Why you do this one: DeVonta is your WR1 and can play inside or out, Quentin brings gravity due to his size and deep threat ability, plus short receiving and YAC ability

I floated him as a trade idea in an earlier off-season article, but I myself wasn’t totally sold on it. But after the Mannion hiring, Quentin makes a lot more sense. He doesn’t perfectly fill the X-receiver void but is very good with what the Mannion offense may want:

• Excels in the short-passing game (2nd in the league at 11 YAC/rec in passes at or behind LOS)
• A top-10 receiver on deep routes
• This is a (relatively) cheap trade with bigger upside (vs. the top guys who will go for a R1 plus)
• Can play X but better suited as a big slot role
• Cap cost is only $20M over 2 years with his 5th year option
• Still only 24 years old
• Drops can be an issue but he was much better in 2025

---

Why you do this one: Get the closest WR possibly available this year to what AJ does – being a physical, vertical threat

To be clear from the start, I would not even consider this – he’s good but it would clearly be a 1st round pick and maybe more to get him, plus a big contract in two years. I include him here because he will be the big name of interest to a lot of Eagles fans.

• Big and fast that closest mimics what AJ does
• Good deep threat ability and YAC
• Still 23 with two years on his rookie deal
• If you are concerned about Quentin’s drops, just know that Thomas has been a good amount worse there
• Trade cost, if he is even available, will be very steep, especially for the Eagles who will always be expected to have a low pick

---

Why you do this one: You probably do this in addition to – not instead of – one of the above

I’ve said I have liked this WR class more as I watched it but the one “but” with it is it’s hard to find true X’s unless you are high in the draft – there are a lot of good smaller WRs in this class.

If I’m Howie, if I trade AJ, I’m not sitting out on free agency to put all my chips on the draft so making one of the moves above. But it does make sense to invest here as it’s such a hard and expensive position to get. Here’s who I’m looking at:

Day 1 projected:

• Carnell Tate – I’d run the card up in a second, he’s my WR1, but he’s going top 10
• Denzel Boston – Big and physical but lacks twitch, think Drake London but he’s not the same level prospect, I would not spend R1 capital on him

Day 2 projected:

• Elijah Sarratt – Produces and a guy you just love but has concerning traits for the NFL, another guy where I would not take him at his projected capital
• Ja’Kobi Lane – Prototypical size, wins with physicality and high contested catch rate
• Malachi Fields – Big deep threat with YAC, great hands, older prospect and late breakout concerns, relied more on explosive plays

Day 3 projected:

• Eric McAlister – Big (6’3″ 205) vertical threat (20% of targets) and one of the better after-the-catch players in this class, not a natural separator but one of the better traits + production scoring WRs in a while, he’s a guy that is underrated in this class
• Bryce Lance – Long-framed, he’s a popular name but speed may be an issue and has competition questions

---

What would I do if we needed to replace both Lane and AJ?

It would be a crazy off-season to have to change OCs, replace what I think is the greatest Eagle ever in Lane Johnson, as well as the other half of our “we have two WR1s” offense. But here’s what I would do if I had to:

Pre-draft:

• Trade R4-122 for RT Brian O’Neill
• Trade R5-151 for WR Quentin Johnston

Draft:

Round 1: I go into the draft planning on taking OT Monroe Freeling and do exactly that. A current LT, he played RT in 2024 and has all the traits the Eagles want and is a pick as either Lane’s near-term replacement or Mailata’s maybe-coming-sooner-than-we-expect retirement.

Round 2: In the 2nd, an AJ-type replacement is tough to get with only Elijah Sarratt and CJ Daniels on the board. I go what I think is BPA in a near round 1 talent in EDGE Joshua Josephs.

Round 3: With our first pick, I double-up on the OL with another dual-purpose pick. Duke’s Brian Parker was a college OT but has been working at OC and OG pre-draft and will be our Steen replacement (and hedge on Cam’s health).

With our second pick in the 3rd and Malachi Fields and Ja’Kobi Lane on the board, I take the WR that I think profiles as one of the best WR values in this daft. Projected early day 3, I snag TCU’s Eric McAlister a little early – one of the best in the class after the catch (top in missed tackles forced, 2nd in YAC/rec) and a legitimate deep threat that fits Mannion’s offense well.

Not many know McAlister so I will include a couple of clips just for fun. He’s not a perfect prospect – he doesn’t consistently show the physicality you expect from his size and his blocking is good but also not consistent. Bu the profiles extremely closely to Romeo Doubs, Josh Palmer, and Puka Nacua (with a bit less physicality).

Day 3: After trading away two of the day 3 picks, I finish with CB Davison Igbinson, an aggressive and traits corner who’s a “better Kelee” in my opinion and TE Riley Kowakowski who also plays FB, filling another position likely to rise in importance under Mannion.

Post June 1:

• Trade AJ Brown to Buffalo for a 2027 2nd and 2028 conditional 4th/5th

After all the moves, the Eagles offensive depth chart is re-tooled. Nobody replaces Lane Johnson but Brian O’Neill is about as good as you are going to get. Monroe Freeling, if anything, is wasted not playing his first year but he will get plenty of opportunities given the Eagles recent history and can be a successor to either Lane or Mailata. And Brian Parker can replace Tyler Steen in 2027 or Cam Jurgens if his health continues as an issue.

LT	Jordan Mailata	Myles Hinton
LG	Landon Dickerson	Brett Toth	Hollin Pierce
C	Cam Jurgens	Drew Kendall	Willie Lampkin
RG	Tyler Steen	Brian Parker
RT	Brian O’Neill	Monroe Freeling	Cameron Williams

It’s hard to replace two alpha WRs, but with a coordinator that puts guys in position to be successful and stresses YAC, the Eagles have beat-any-coverage DeVonta and two plus YAC generators. It’s still a better WR room than most teams and didn’t require a big overpay in free agency or shedding premium draft capital.

WR1	DeVonta Smith	Darius Cooper
WR2	Eric McAlister	Johnny Wilson
Slot WR	Quentin Johnston	Britain Covey