The Jacksonville Jaguars already began the process of trimming down the roster to 53-man players. One day after the Week 3 preseason loss to the Miami Dolphins, they sent a free-agent acquisition packing.
The Jags announced that they traded offensive lineman Fred Johnson to the Philadelphia Eagles in return for a seventh-round pick in next year's draft. All things considered, this was a good deal when you take into account that the seventh-year veteran wasn't going to stay with Jacksonville in 2025.
And by trading Johnson, the team's brass is paving the way for another lineman to stay.
Why the Jaguars traded Fred Johnson
Fred Johnson signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers after going undrafted in 2019. He wasn't able to make their 53-man roster but quickly latched onto the Cincinnati Bengals, where he spent three seasons. The former Florida Gator then joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2022 and signed with the Philadelphia Eagles one year later.
It was with the Eagles that he gained notoriety during their Super Bowl run in 2024 when he filled in for Jordan Milata at left tackle. While there was a noticeable dropoff, he managed to hold his own. He then became a free agent in 2025 and signed a $1.7 million contract with the Jags.
Throughout his brief stint in Jacksonville, Johnson didn't do much to stand out. Fellow free-agent acquisition Chuma Edoga outshined him in the offseason program and training camp.
Then, the preseason came, and Johnson didn't do enough to warrant a roster spot over Cole Van Lanen, Wyatt Milum, or Edoga himself.
Related: Biggest winners and losers from the Jags preseason
Trading Fred Johnson shows the Jaguars want to keep Cole Van Lanen
Chuma Edoga wasn't in danger of getting the boot. He impressed the team's brass by switching back and forth between right guard and offensive tackle in training camp. On the other hand, there was a chance the Jags could cut Cole Van Lanen.
The Jags gave Van Lanen a one-year tender early in 2025, but he didn't seem to be a lock to make the team after the arrival of Edoga and Fred Johnson. Couple that with the fact that he missed the majority of training camp, and the former Wisconsin Badger could have been a victim of the numbers game.
However, the Jaguars made it abundantly clear that they'll keep Van Lanen around when they traded Johnson. Edoga could still get the nod if right guard Patrick Mekari or offensive tackle Anton Harrison get hurt, but there's an equal chance Van Lanen will be the swing tackle.
Either way, the Fred Johnson trade has brought a bit of clarity to Jaguars offensive tackle depth chart, and Cole Van Lanen appears to be part of it.
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