• March 19, 2024

Like Other Eagles, Lane Johnson Is Trying To Get Better

LaneJohnson3I will tell you one thing that has impressed me about Chip Kelly’s squad. They have players who have a mindset to get better.  Obviously that’s not by accident, that’s the type of culture Kelly wants around his football team.  It’s no guarantee that this Eagles football team will greatly improve in the upcoming year, but I do like the fact that they’re looking for every way they can to be great. I do believe that attitude is part of what separates champions from the rest of the crowd.

The Eagles have got an entire roster of players who are doing whatever they can to improve; whether it means monitoring every piece of food that goes into their mouths; or seeking the advise of Hall of Famers or getting involved in Mixed Martial Arts training.

That brings us to Eagles starting right tackle Lane Johnson, who is entering his third season.  He decided that he wanted to see if Mixed Martial Arts training would improve his game.

I know he’s got to be tired of people raving about the play of the guy on the other side of the line, Eagles Pro Bowl left tackle Jason Peters, while Johnson goes virtually unnoticed.  So the former Oklahoma Sooner headed to Los Angeles where MMA legend Randy Couture and FOX NFL Insider Jay Glazer have developed a workout program for NFL players.

“Basically, I was just trying to try something different” Johnson told Dave Spadaro of PhiladelphiaEagles.com. “A lot of guys in the off season they’ll lift weights and run but they can’t really utilize it once they get back on the field.  So I did a lot of body on body work.  We did a lot of Greco Roman wrestling.  Just working on pummeling just different things to get your hips going and to get better advantage and to get stronger there.”

Johnson says the workouts took his conditioning to another level.

“Just the conditioning, we did that as well as boxing was probably the toughest stuff I’ve ever done,” Johnson told Spadaro, “I remember the first couple of days, I was puking non-stop. It was terrible. Looking back it’s helped me coming into OTAs (Organized Team Activities) now, I feel I’m in the best shape of my life. I notice now I’m a lot quicker with my hands and a lot stronger with my hands. I don’t have to really think about it. It comes naturally.”

“Clay Matthews went out there to become more violent with his hands. That’s something that pass rushers need as well as tackles because they need to get out on the edge and use their hands as levers against the defensive ends.   So just becoming more violent with my hands and making it muscle memory, so you don’t have to think about it.”

There’s no guarantee of success, but I like his mindset and passion.  Too many players in the league are content to just go through the motions, but Johnson wants to be amongst the best.

Johnson made an astonishing point near the end of the interview, he said, “I dropped by body fat down to three percent. ”

That’s amazing.  Three percent body fat for somebody who weighs over 300 pounds.

“I think I’m getting close to being elite” Johnson explained. “That’s what I’m trying to be. Last year was a stepping stone from my rookie year.  I want to be more aggressive and more violent going into year three.”

We’ll see if it makes a difference.  He’s already a good offensive tackle, we’ll see whether the extra specialized work takes him to where he’s trying to go.

GCOBB

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Jeff Kolsky
May 23, 2015 8:07 am

Lane is still young, both with playing ot and in his nfl career. He knows he dissapointed people and cost his team last year with being suspended the first four games.

The offensive guard position could be a double question mark if mathis ends up on another team. There is some concern at the other tackle spot with Peters, getting up there in age and may not have been as steady throughout the season last year that we have become accustomed to, but he still was a very good player.

Chip needs lane to become great, and lane wants to be great. Lane has done the work to prepare for year 3 in the nfl, and is going to have every opportunity to showcase his skills as the eagles look to pound the rock with a steady dose of mathews and murray.

Lane has outperformed both fisher and jockel who were drafted 1 and 2 with lane being the third tackle to be drafted in the 2013 draft.

Lane wants to be in that top 3 category of the entire nfl, exactly the mind set necessary to compete in the trenches and one that can take a players game to the next level.

haveacigar
haveacigar
May 23, 2015 9:00 am

Lane performed very well particularly in the run game last year. He was getting to the second and third level. Assuming he’s learned to mask the roids like the rest of the league I predict multiple pro bowls.

zilents44
zilents44
May 23, 2015 10:15 am

1 2 3……lame lame lame……nah i like him he will a top ten rt every year

deserteagle
deserteagle
May 23, 2015 10:59 am

From what I’m reading daily G, you are witness to a metamorphosis from a dual 10 win seasons team to a lot of ,we hope ,no guarantee,and what if healthy..All of these will be quantified as the summer camp approaches.Putting all of these moving parts together with ample coaching will be the Achilles of this squad,or,the greatest integration of “my guys”the league has witnessed.In watching a lot of football,that’s alwaysa process.Film study and real competition are on a learning curve for a quarter of the season.Im hopeful the coach is fully committed to alter what h senses was inappropriate ,in his mindset as the head that controls the entire body of the Eagles Organization.In deference to David Letterman my top 10 list ,of things that need to happen ,for a parade down Broad st..10. Use Billy Davis name in the same sentence as,”Not since Jim Johnson”9. The NFL is mandated to investigate claims of sports drink “formula” tampering at the Nova Care facility ,where men in white coats are seen daily ..8. The head American Indian is seen on a white palomino,Sam I Am,is the seasons anomaly ..”let’s be real..Its all on his shoulders..7. Not believing for a moment that he could be humpy dumpty in shoulder pads ,just as easily ..bringing a season to a crashing omelette …6. The defensive front that was sohearldedremains in ascent,creating pressure from many differing gaps sequences..5 “swoop is physically removed from the facility…4 Tom gamble is found with fowl feather DNA on his person..3 Chip needs remain celebate and sleep eat and drink football ..2 Sam I Am is water boarded ,sports science concoctions .. And the number one reason we must “believe ” Pinnochipios,lead …We do wantso badly to hope and pray ,that the “Linc” reminds peopleofthe “vet” ..

paulman
paulman
May 23, 2015 11:40 am
Reply to  deserteagle

A great Top 10 Deserteagle… Funny stuff….
Happy Memorial Day Weekend to everyone….

haveacigar
haveacigar
May 23, 2015 2:14 pm
Reply to  deserteagle

Desert 8,7,2… Your list could have been a top 1 list…. Number 1 thru 10 SAM BRADFORD … Nice improvements in general for the birds … Can SB lead to a SB?

deserteagle
deserteagle
May 23, 2015 2:56 pm

Hac..battle lines have been drawn ,in the conference ..Jerry jones brings in Rice and he will have completed his version of the “longest yard”bringing in football thugs ,vs .Chips Boy George “culture club” the battle lines couldn’t be more Clearly defined ..Demarco Murray being the 600 pund road grader in the room..Well get tested early and often and well experience hiccups along the way..but in the end of any good storyline …Good wins over Evil..

deserteagle
deserteagle
May 23, 2015 2:56 pm

Hac Agreed Sam I Am ,or season I aint..

deserteagle
deserteagle
May 23, 2015 3:18 pm

SB is the opposite of BS Be warned…be afraid ..Sanchez is not walking through that door wearing a superman cape..if Sam is BS ..