There are many reasons why the Philadelphia Eagles have consistently been, and will continue to be, so formidable, but none are bigger than the offensive line. The Eagles constantly win in the trenches, and that makes life on offense much easier. Lane Johnson, a six-time Pro Bowler and one of the best offensive linemen in franchise history, is obviously a huge reason why their offensive line has been so incredible.
Obviously, with Johnson still playing at an elite level and being under contract through the 2027 campaign, the Eagles are not and should not be looking for his immediate replacement. However, due to his injury history and his age (35) there are reasons to believe that once his contract is up, he might consider hanging up the spikes and/or will have played his way out of a prominent role in Philadelphia.
One preseason game might have been enough to show that the Eagles have a sensible replacement for Johnson already in-house in Cameron Williams.
Cameron Williams already looks like Lane Johnson's eventual replacement
Much of the attention following Philadelphia's preseason opener went to Tanner McKee who really impressed, but Williams' dominance on the offensive line undoubtedly helped McKee put together a night to remember. Williams had a 79.3 PFF grade as a pass blocker, a mark that would've ranked just outside of the top 20 among all offensive tackles last season. Obviously, one preseason game doesn't mean much in the grand scheme of things, but it was an impressive showing nonetheless, and shows that the Eagles have something here.
To be clear, Williams isn't expected to play much of a role, if at all this season. He was a sixth-round pick for a reason, and Philadelphia's offensive line, as mentioned repeatedly, is incredibly stout.
Williams has some improving to do, but at 6-foot-5 and 317 pounds, he has the frame to succeed at the NFL level. Given Philadelphia's history of developing offensive linemen, it shouldn't be surprising to see Williams, a raw, yet talented offensive tackle, develop enough to be a worthwhile replacement for Johnson.
He won't be ready for a year or two to contribute meaningfully, but with Johnson under contract through 2027 and Jordan Mailata locked in even longer, the Eagles won't have a need at offensive tackle for quite a while. They can take things slow and get the most out of Williams, preparing him to fill Johnson's massive shoes when the time comes.