New Eagles Rumors on Lane Johnson's Retirement, Impact on NFL Salary Cap Amid Contract Bonus

The Philadelphia Eagles' decision to hold off on filing offensive tackle Lane Johnson's retirement paperwork is reportedly related to salary cap implications.

According to Jonathan Jones of The Athletic, there was a $21.7 million option bonus in Johnson's contract for this season, and half of it is due in December.

One option the Eagles reportedly could consider in order to lessen the financial impact of Johnson's retirement is to place him on the left-squad list and designate him as a post-June 1 cut, allowing any remaining cap hit to be spread across 2027 and 2028.

An anonymous salary cap guru told Jones, "They'll figure it out easily enough. Just some accounting gymnastics, as all cap problems are."

Another aspect of Johnson's retirement is the potential forfeiture of some of the bonus money he is still due. The Eagles reportedly could ask Johnson to forfeit a portion of the money, but it is unclear if they plan to do so.

Johnson announced his retirement from the NFL on Tuesday, citing the importance of prioritizing his mental health and family:

The 36-year-old veteran was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2013 NFL draft, and he established himself as one of the best right tackles in league history over the course of a 14-year career.

Johnson was a six-time Pro Bowler, two-time First Team All-Pro and two-time Super Bowl champion with the Eagles, giving him a strong case to eventually be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.