Fred Johnson shares wholesome reaction to being traded back to the Philadelphia Eagles
Glad to be back.
Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle Fred Johnson is right back where he needs to be.
The Eagles had originally lost Johnson to the Jacksonville Jaguars during NFL free agency back in March, but brought him back to Philly via trade on August 24. And it’s safe to say that Johnson was over the moon to get that phone call from Howie Roseman after sharing his initial reaction with the Philly media.
“I heard about the trade and I was like, ‘Hey, if I go anywhere else, I’d rather go back to the Eagles,’” Johnson said. “I was super happy, super excited. I told my family, told my mom, told my son. I was just ready to get out here. I almost asked to drive up instead of fly the next morning. I was ready to get back.”
In exchange for Johnson, Philly sent the Jaguars a 2026 seventh-round pick.
Fred Johnson is Back in Philly Like He Never Left
This trade instantly made a ton of sense since the Eagles found they didn’t have a standout swing tackle at the end of the preseason, after Kendall Lamm and Matt Pryor did not look the part.
Johnson, who signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2019 as an undrafted free agent, also played for the Cincinnati Bengals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers before signing with the Eagles in 2022 for his first stint. He saw action in all 17 games with six starts for the Birds in 2024. Most notably, he did a solid job stepping in at right tackle for Lane Johnson and left tackle for Jordan Mailata last fall.
He will look to make an impact in 2025 whenever and wherever the Eagles may need him.
“Obviously, they traded for me. They need me,” Johnson said. “I’m willing to do whatever for these guys. These are my brothers, these are my folks. It’s no disappointment, no sadness going into it. I’m ready when y’all need me. And that’s that.
“We’ll see where everything goes after this season. I love Philly. I love everything. I love cheesesteaks, I love all that. But I’m excited to be back here, I’m excited to have big dreams to chase. I’m ready for whatever comes my way.”
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