Eagles acquire familiar face Fred Johnson from Jaguars, send Darian Kinnard to the Packers
The Eagles sent a 2026 seventh-round pick to the Jaguars for Johnson and received a 2027 sixth-round pick for Kinnard.
A familiar face is returning to the Eagles’ offensive line room.
The team is acquiring Fred Johnson from the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for a 2026 seventh-round pick, a league source confirmed to The Inquirer on Sunday night. ESPN first reported the news.
Additionally, the Eagles sent offensive lineman Darian Kinnard to the Green Bay Packers in exchange for a 2027 sixth-rounder.
Johnson, 28, was a member of the Eagles from 2022-24, starting on the practice squad in November 2022 and making the active roster the following two seasons. He served as the backup swing tackle behind Lane Johnson and Jordan Mailata in 2024, taking 119 snaps at right tackle and 351 snaps at left tackle in 17 games (six starts), according to Pro Football Focus.
He began his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2019 as an undrafted free agent out of Florida. The 6-foot-7, 326-pound Johnson has appeared in 52 games (including 11 starts at left tackle, right guard, and right tackle) through six seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Eagles.
After becoming a free agent in March, Johnson signed a one-year, $1.3 million contract with the Jaguars. He played a total of 78 snaps in the first two preseason games, conceding just two pressures total, per PFF.
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Just as he did in 2024, Johnson figures to serve as the swing tackle on the Eagles’ initial 53-man roster, a position they had struggled to fill in training camp. In the offseason, the team signed Kendall Lamm and Matt Pryor, who both have experience at left tackle and right tackle. But it became increasingly unclear if either player could take over that role as camp progressed.
Kinnard, 25, had provided the Eagles insurance at guard and tackle last season. He made the initial 53-man roster out of training camp in 2024 after spending the first two seasons of his career with the Kansas City Chiefs. Given the other versatile depth pieces along the offensive line, including Johnson and Pryor, Kinnard had become expendable.
The acquisition of Johnson comes ahead of Tuesday’s 4 p.m. roster cutdown deadline. The Eagles pick No. 32 in the waiver order, requiring them to be more active on the trade market as their initial 53-man roster takes shape.
Howie Roseman has continued his tradition of making August trades, pulling off three on Sunday alone. In the morning, the team acquired quarterback Sam Howell from the Minnesota Vikings, shoring up quarterback depth with Tanner McKee dealing with a finger injury.
Last week, Roseman acquired wide receiver John Metchie and a 2026 sixth-round pick from the Houston Texans in exchange for tight end Harrison Bryant and a 2026 fifth-rounder. He also flipped defensive tackle Thomas Booker to the Las Vegas Raiders for cornerback Jakorian Bennett earlier this month.