Howie Roseman explains last-second restructuring of Eagles' offensive line

The dust has settled in Philadelphia, but it wasn't without a lot of work needing to be done by Eagles general manager Howie Roseman beforehand.

One of the big topics at the close of the preseason was the concerns surrounding the depth of the offensive linemen. A lot of the veterans players they signed or traded for during the offseason did not work out the way they had hoped.

That's why Roseman felt the need for the team to make a trade over the weekend to improve the offensive line. It led to the return of Fred Johnson, who was traded from the Jacksonville Jaguars to Philly in exchange for a Day 3 draft pick. Less than an hour after Johnson's trade, the Eagles sent Darian Kinnard packing to the Green Bay Packers for a 2027 sixth-round pick.

When speaking with the media on Tuesday, he defended himself on why the team didn't re-sign Johnson in the offseason and why he was brought onto the team.

“He understands that we have two All-Pro-level offensive tackles," Roseman said via The Athletic's Zach Berman and Brooks Kubena. "He’s in a stage in his career where he played really well and he was looking for an opportunity. So, just because we didn’t sign him doesn’t mean we weren’t trying to sign him. I think for him, he was looking to see what he could do somewhere else because of the situation that we had. When the opportunity arose to bring him back, we jumped at it.”

“That offensive tackle position, just like the quarterback position, you can never have too many of those guys that come in and play for you over the course of a season,” Roseman said. “We’re trying to play a lot of games here. Over the course of those games, you’re going to need guys to step up in backup roles. Fred’s shown he can do it at a championship level, and so just really excited to bring him back.”

What led to the moves being made and what it means for the Eagles' offensive line now

Eagles fans know the starters on the offensive line are the best in the NFL, but they learned quickly what it all looks like if even one guy is hurt. Brett Toth has done a good job filling in for Landon Dickerson as he recovers from his meniscus injury, but other linemen on the Eagles did not do as well.

The main disappointment came from the veterans on the Eagles' offensive line who were added in the offseason. Matt Pryor is the exception as he has played well, but guys like Kendall Lamm and Kenyon Green were massive disappointments, which led to their release or being waived.

Philly can be happy to know that at least they drafted two offensive linemen who appear to be good developmental pieces for them. Drew Kendall and Cameron Williams impressed throughout training camp and preseason to the point where they are on the Eagles' 53-man roster.

The Eagles' offensive line appears to be in much better shape than it was after the New York Jets' preseason game. Now it's about the unit coming together on the bench and living up to the expectations that are anticipated for them.