The Philadelphia Eagles are turning to rookie offensive tackle Markel Bell after veteran Lane Johnson announced his immediate NFL retirement.
Bell made his first professional start in Philadelphia's 24-20 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, a game that accelerated his timeline into the starting lineup.
The 6-foot-9, 346-pound lineman was selected No. 68 overall in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
He was thrust into action after Johnson was ruled out for personal reasons and primary backup Fred Johnson was sidelined by injury.
Sirianni Praises Bell's Emergency Performance
Head coach Nick Sirianni evaluated the rookie's emergency performance positively despite Philadelphia's offensive struggles.
The Eagles generated just 68 passing yards and went 0-for-12 on third-down conversions.
"Sometimes it's hard to see exactly what's happening with an offensive lineman unless it's going really bad," Sirianni told reporters.
"I didn't feel like, 'Hey, that one was on Markel.' We'll see.
We have to watch the tape. But I thought he battled.
He went in there and played his butt off."
The offensive unit faced additional personnel shortages during the contest.
Wide receiver DeVonta Smith, running back Saquon Barkley, and tight end Dallas Goedert were lost to injuries alongside missing guard Landon Dickerson.
"I know coming off the field every time having given it his all, and he was ready to play.
You love that about it," Sirianni said.
Sirianni declined to elaborate on Johnson's status prior to the retirement announcement.
"I think you guys know that he's dealing with a personal matter, and that's really all I'm going to say on that," Sirianni said.
Replacing Johnson presents a massive organizational challenge after the six-time Pro Bowl selection allowed zero sacks and only one quarterback hit over 451 pass-blocking opportunities during the 2024 season.
Philadelphia next travels to London to face the Jacksonville Jaguars.
