Opportunity Could Finally Be Knocking For Eagles Veteran Pass Rusher

The most snaps he played in three seasons before the New York Giants claimed him after his release at the end of the 2024 summer were 55 in a meaningless regular-season finale against the Cowboys. He played 29 in another meaningless finale in 2022 and as a rookie in Week 3 and 28.

It hasn’t been much. Yet, Johnson never relented, never stopped believing that his opportunity would come.

“I tell people all the time, everybody wants to be able to pop off early, meaning, like, have a quick start to their career in terms of a lot of success, but if you look at some guys all around the league, their career really takes off Year 5, Year 6, then they turn around and play for five or more six years,” he said. “Hopefully that’s gonna be my story. Hopefully this is just the start for me. I know I can play in this league a long time. Definitely hoping I will.”

The Eagles are light on the edge, with Nolan Smith expected to miss at least the next two games after being put on injured reserve after Week 3, Ogbo Okoronkwo joining him on IR without any expectation that he will return, and Za’Darius Smith retired.

“I know I can make several plays and I feel I can showcase that week in and week out and I know I will,” said Johnson. “That’s why I’m excited about this week – go make some more play if that’s TFLs, sacks, special team plays, whatever it is I’m gonna do that.”

Johnson said his desire to keep going has never wavered, and, as a seventh-round pick, that’s not easy. Moro Ojomo was a seventh-round pick, too, and he’s getting his best opportunity to play a high volume of snaps in his third season.

“If you're real with yourself, you're trying to make the roster that number one,” said Ojomo. “Anytime you get an opportunity, you have to show up, and you kind of just want to be a relentless guy that's always showing up. It’s always hard knowing that just that every day could be your last time.”

Johnson said he was inspired to always keep pushing by players such as Brandon Graham and Derek Barnett. He gave more credit to his position coach Jeremiah Washburn.

“He’s been my guy since I’ve been here, working with him since Year 2,” he said. “He's the main reason why I came back (in free agency this offseason) because he told me, ‘Pat, you’re a freaking player. I believe in you, people in this building believe in you, so just keep going on, keep on, keep on, and keep on. Push through it and your time is gonna come and you’re going to make the most out of it,’ and that’s what I’m hoping to do.”