Brian Baldinger doesn’t think Eagles will have Lane Johnson against the 49ers

Lane Johnson is reportedly set to return to practice this week as the Philadelphia Eagles prepare to face the San Francisco 49ers in the playoffs … but it’s currently unclear if the All-Pro right tackle will actually suit up for Sunday’s Wild Card game.

Brian Baldinger, who has a close relationship with Johnson, recently mentioned that he doesn’t think the Eagles’ right tackle will play this weekend. Baldy said the following in a Tuesday morning appearance on The PHLY Anthony Gargano Show (hat tip to the PHLY Eagles podcast):

If the Eagles are stuck in this game offensively, I mean, the fans … the fans are just not going to be able to handle it, man. They just gave everybody a week of rest. They’re going to be fully healthy. I don’t think Lane will go but we’ll see. But, regardless, they should be fully healthy and rested against a defense that there’s not one person on that defense that scares you. Not one!

The “but we’ll see” obviously leaves the door open that Johnson might be able to play after all. It would be surprising if Johnson didn’t make a serious effort to play since Sunday will be the final game of the Eagles’ season if they don’t win.

The uncertainty about Johnson’s status speaks to the severity of the Lisfranc injury he’s dealing with. Even if he is able to play, one must wonder how close to 100% he’ll be and if he can make it through the entire game. Johnson is incredibly tough and no stranger to playing through injury, so, it’s hard to count him out entirely. But it’s not comforting to think that the Eagles could be without him against the 49ers.

Then again, the Niners have the fewest sacks in the NFL this season. Fred Johnson is no Lane Johnson but Big Fred hasn’t been a disaster during Lane’s absence. Maybe the Eagles can buy Lane one more week of rest.

We’ll see how Lane fares in practice this week. The Eagles will issue their first injury report leading up to the 49ers game on Wednesday afternoon/evening.