The Philadelphia Eagles’ offensive line, for years the gold standard of the NFL, has come crashing down to earth in 2025. Once the unstoppable engine behind the “Tush Push” and a dominant ground game, the unit is now ranked 18th in “OL Impact Score” and has become a liability in critical moments.
With the run game sputtering and Jalen Hurts under constant duress, the question on every fan’s mind is simple: What happened, and can it be fixed before the playoffs?
The Problem: A Perfect Storm of Regression
The decline isn’t due to a single factor but a convergence of injuries, personnel whiffs, and schematic staleness.
1. The “Lane Johnson Effect” & Injury Bug
The most glaring issue is health. The loss of All-Pro Right Tackle Lane Johnson to a Lisfranc sprain has been catastrophic. The Eagles’ record without Johnson historically borders on disastrous, and 2025 is no exception. Swing tackle Fred Johnson has filled in, but the drop-off from a Hall of Famer to a replacement-level backup has destabilized the entire right side of the line. Compounding this, LG Landon Dickerson (knee) and C Cam Jurgens (back) have battled nagging injuries all season, robbing the interior of its usual push.
2. The Right Guard Void
The decision to let Mekhi Becton walk in free agency (now with the Chargers) has haunted the team. His replacement, Tyler Steen, has struggled to find consistency. PFF grades have not been kind to Steen, who has had difficulty anchoring against power rushers. This weakness has forced the center to help right often, leaving the left side vulnerable and disrupting the line’s cohesion.
3. Run Game Collapse
The stats are damning. The Eagles rank 32nd in adjusted line yards, a metric that isolates the offensive line’s contribution to the run game. Saquon Barkley, who shattered records in 2024, is averaging a pedestrian 3.7 yards per carry this season. He is frequently met in the backfield, forcing him to dance rather than hit the hole.
The Fix: How to Salvage the Season
With the trade deadline in the rearview mirror, General Manager Howie Roseman cannot save the team now. The solutions must come from the coaching staff and the training room.
1. Schematic Shift: Abandon the Zone, Embrace the Gap
Analysts like Dan Orlovsky and Doug Farrar have correctly identified that the Eagles are too reliant on zone run concepts that aren’t working.
- The Fix: Offensive Coordinator Kevin Patullo needs to pivot to Man/Gap scheme runs (Power, Counter, Trap). These plays allow linemen to be aggressive and down-block rather than laterally flow, which suits the current personnel better—especially with backup linemen who may lack the agility for zone blocking but have the size for power.
2. “Tank” Theory: A New RB Rotation
It sounds blasphemous to take Saquon Barkley off the field, but he looks worn down from carrying the offense.
- The Fix: Increase Tank Bigsby’s workload. Acquired from Jacksonville in September, Bigsby has fresh legs and a downhill running style that complements a power-blocking scheme. Using Bigsby on early downs (1st and 10) can keep Barkley fresh for the fourth quarter and passing situations.
3. Help the Tackles (Chip and Motion)
Until Lane Johnson returns (targeted for mid-December), the Eagles cannot leave Fred Johnson on an island against premier edge rushers.
- The Fix: Use more condensed formations and tight end chips. Keeping a tight end or running back in to “chip” the defensive end before releasing into a route gives the backup tackle valuable help. Additionally, using pre-snap motion can force defenses to reveal their coverages, helping Jalen Hurts get the ball out faster and negating the pass rush.
4. The Lane Johnson Countdown
Ultimately, the true “fix” is the return of Lane Johnson. If he can return by Week 15 against the Raiders as projected, the line immediately stabilizes. Until then, the goal is survival.
The Bottom Line
The 2025 Eagles offensive line will likely never return to the dominance of 2022-2024. However, they don’t need to be perfect; they just need to be functional. By simplifying the blocking scheme to favor power over finesse and giving their backup tackles help, they can stop the bleeding long enough for their stars to return and make a push in January.
