Report: Eagles' Lane Johnson facing 10-game PED suspension
Philadelphia Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson is facing a 10-game suspension for a second violation of the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing drugs, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
The suspension has yet to become official, as Johnson is in the process of filing an appeal.
Johnson confirmed as much to Jay Glazer of FOX Sports, explaining that he took an approved amino acid but ended up testing positive for peptide. He also says he's fighting the company that supplied the supplement as he awaits his "B" sample.
A first-round pick in 2013, Johnson has long been a standout contributor on a strong Philadelphia offensive front. The only four starts he's missed to this point in his career was a result of a PED violation leading up to his sophomore season.
The Eagles rewarded his continued ascent with a five-year, $56-million contract extension earlier this year, but it appears as though the latest development could leave Johnson without any sort of long-term security.
As ESPN's Field Yates reports, the agreement included a clause that voids his $35.5 million in guarantees were he to receive another suspension. The raw numbers of Johnson's contract remain unchanged in such a scenario, but Philadelphia would have the option to cut ties at any point without incurring a cap penalty.
Barring a successful appeal, the 26-year-old will miss the first two-plus months of the 2016 campaign before being eligible to return Nov. 28 for a Monday night matchup with the Green Bay Packers.
Dennis Kelly, Matt Tobin, and Andrew Gardner would be in the mix to step into Johnson's spot opposite All-Pro left tackle Jason Peters.