Eagles finally know Lane Johnson's potential return date

When it rains, it pours for the Philadelphia Eagles.

Nick Sirianni's team has lost three games in a row, and its struggling offense has been hampered by the absence of All-Pro tackle Lane Johnson. Johnson has been out since the win over the Detroit Lions four weeks ago, and the lack of updates about his Lisfranc sprain raised significant doubts about his availability for the playoffs.

According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, that's not a concern anymore, as he's striving to get back on the field before the end of the regular season.

Lane Johnson will return to practice next week

"Help on the way for the Eagles: All-Pro OT Lane Johnson, dealing with a Lisfranc sprain, is likely to return to practice this week with eyes on facing the #Commanders (Dec 20) or #Bills (Dec 28)," Rapoport wrote on X. "With the lowest pressure allowed rate this season for OTs, he looms large."

The Eagles used to have the most physical and efficient offensive line in all of football, and while it is still fairly decent, it hasn't been as dominant this year. Jordan Mailata also missed time due to an injury, and it's no coincidence that the Eagles have yet to win a game in the contests Johnson hasn't started this season. 

They will look to get back on track when they face off against Kenny Pickett and the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday. The Eagles still control their own destiny, but with the Dallas Cowboys creeping in, they need to stop the bleeding right away.