Chairshot NFL News Report (10/7/2026): Lane Johnson Retires, Lamar Unlikely & Daniels Nears Return

Lane Johnson retires after 14 seasons, Lamar Jackson is unlikely for Week 5 and Jayden Daniels moves closer to returning for Washington.

One of the defining offensive linemen of his generation has played his final snap.

Lane Johnson announced his retirement Tuesday, ending a 14-season career spent entirely with Philadelphia that included two Super Bowl championships, six Pro Bowls and five Associated Press All-Pro selections. The surprise decision comes with the Eagles already dealing with a significant collection of offensive injuries and preparing to play Jacksonville in London.

Elsewhere, Baltimore received a clearer—and less encouraging—picture of Lamar Jackson’s ankle injury, Washington may finally get Jayden Daniels back just as Marcus Mariota goes down, and Arizona officially lost Paris Johnson Jr. for the season.

It’s the Chairshot NFL News Report for October 7, 2026!

Lane Johnson Retires During His 14th NFL Season

Lane Johnson announced his retirement Tuesday afternoon, bringing an abrupt end to one of the most accomplished careers in Philadelphia Eagles history. Johnson was a surprise inactive for Sunday’s 24-20 loss to the Rams for what the team described as a personal reason before revealing his decision two days later.

Philadelphia selected Johnson fourth overall in the 2013 NFL Draft, and he spent his entire career with the Eagles. He leaves with six Pro Bowl selections, two first-team All-Pro honors, five total AP All-Pro selections and championship rings from Philadelphia’s Super Bowl LII and Super Bowl LIX teams.

The timing creates an immediate football problem in addition to the significance of the retirement itself. Philadelphia has lost consecutive games after beginning 2-0, Saquon Barkley is week-to-week with a hamstring injury, DeVonta Smith has been sidelined by his own hamstring problem and backup running back Tank Bigsby was officially placed on injured reserve Tuesday.

Johnson had been a foundational part of an offensive line that helped define Philadelphia’s identity through multiple coaching staffs and two championship runs. The Eagles now have to replace that stability in the middle of a season rather than during an offseason built around preparing for his departure.

Lamar Jackson Has Only an Outside Chance to Play Sunday

Baltimore’s optimism that Lamar Jackson avoided a long-term ankle injury remains intact, but that does not mean the quarterback is likely to play against Atlanta.

NFL Network reported Tuesday that Jackson has only an outside chance to play Sunday night and could miss multiple games depending on how his rehabilitation progresses. Tyler Huntley is expected to receive the first-team work and would make his first start of the season if Jackson cannot go.

Jackson was excellent before leaving Sunday’s 24-18 victory over Tennessee, producing a 144.2 passer rating before the ankle injury ended his afternoon after the second quarter. Huntley completed 8 of 9 passes for 63 yards in relief, but Baltimore failed to score on its five second-half possessions.

The matchup also looks considerably different after Monday night. Atlanta has scored 80 points in consecutive victories over Green Bay and New Orleans, including 45 against the Saints behind 207 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns. Baltimore is 3-1, but potentially asking Huntley to keep pace with a suddenly explosive Falcons offense creates a much different Sunday-night challenge than the Ravens expected a week ago.

Baltimore also lost tight end Durham Smythe to a torn Achilles, adding another season-ending injury to a roster already dealing with substantial attrition along the offensive line. Jackson remains the injury that matters most, but he is hardly the Ravens’ only availability problem entering Week 5.

Jayden Daniels Could Return as Marcus Mariota Goes Down

Washington’s quarterback situation flipped again Tuesday. Jayden Daniels is expected to get a full week of practice as he works back from his dislocated left elbow, while Marcus Mariota is now dealing with a sprained right MCL suffered during Sunday’s 30-13 loss to Indianapolis.

Dan Quinn said the Commanders hope Daniels can practice throughout the week and return Sunday against the Giants. Daniels was able to participate on a limited basis before the Indianapolis game but was held out because Washington did not believe the elbow was ready for game action.

Mariota’s injury adds urgency without necessarily changing Washington’s approach to Daniels. The veteran aggravated a knee that had previously caused him problems and left Sunday’s game in the first quarter, forcing seventh-round rookie Athan Kaliakmanis into his first NFL action. Kaliakmanis completed 15 of 33 passes for 186 yards, a touchdown and an interception.

Washington is 1-3 and hosts a Giants team that has surprisingly opened 3-1. If Daniels can safely return, the timing could hardly be better for a Commanders offense that has now cycled through all three quarterbacks in four weeks.

The Commanders also officially placed receiver and return specialist Jaylin Lane on injured reserve Tuesday. Lane suffered a fractured and dislocated ankle in London and is expected to miss the remainder of the season, adding another significant loss to a Washington roster already fighting through injuries.

Paris Johnson Jr. Officially Done for the Season

Arizona officially placed left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. on injured reserve Tuesday after confirming that his torn left biceps will require surgery and end his season.

Johnson suffered the injury during Sunday’s 36-24 loss to the Giants. Rookie seventh-round pick Jayden Williams replaced him during the game and is expected to take over at left tackle for the Cardinals.

The Cardinals also placed tight end Hunter Long on injured reserve with a knee injury and promoted tight end Teagan Quitoriano from the practice squad. Arizona enters Week 5 at 1-3 and hosts Detroit, making the loss of its starting left tackle especially problematic for an offense trying to prevent its early-season slide from becoming something larger.

Johnson had started every one of his 47 NFL appearances since Arizona selected him sixth overall in 2023. Replacing that level of continuity at left tackle for the remaining 13 games is not a normal depth adjustment; it changes how the Cardinals will have to protect the quarterback for the rest of the season.

Eagles Backfield Gets Even Thinner

Philadelphia’s offensive injury situation did not stop with Johnson’s retirement. The Eagles officially placed Tank Bigsby on injured reserve Tuesday after the running back suffered a core-muscle injury during Sunday’s loss to the Rams.

Bigsby is expected to undergo surgery and miss approximately six weeks. His injury came after Barkley exited with a hamstring problem, leaving Will Shipley as the only healthy running back on Philadelphia’s active roster.

Barkley is considered week-to-week and avoided a long-term injury, but his availability for Sunday’s London game against Jacksonville remains very much in question. Philadelphia entered the week ranked 29th in total offense, and the personnel available to fix that problem continues shrinking.

The Eagles now have to replace their longtime right tackle while potentially entering London without their top two running backs and with Smith still working back from his hamstring injury. Two straight losses were enough to raise questions about the offense; Tuesday made finding answers considerably harder.

Jaguars Reshape Secondary Before London

Jacksonville will arrive in London at 3-1 but with significant changes coming in its secondary. The Jaguars placed safety Caleb Ransaw on injured reserve Tuesday after he suffered a knee injury against Cincinnati and waived injured cornerback Christian Braswell.

Jacksonville responded by signing cornerbacks Jaylon Jones and Alijah Huzzie. The Jaguars are also monitoring cornerback Montaric Brown’s hamstring injury and safety Eric Murray’s progress through concussion protocol, potentially creating an opportunity for rookie safety Jalen Huskey to make his season debut.

That secondary will face an Eagles passing game missing pieces of its own, making Sunday’s London matchup unusual on both sides. Jacksonville enters with the better record and consecutive victories, while Philadelphia arrives after two straight losses and one of the league’s fastest-growing injury lists.

The Jaguars have already shown they can win games without everything going cleanly, including Sunday’s penalty-filled victory in Cincinnati. London now tests whether their defensive depth can hold up while Philadelphia tries to rediscover an offense that has stalled badly over the last two weeks.

Rams Add Eric Kendricks Before Bills Matchup

Los Angeles added experienced linebacker depth Tuesday by signing Eric Kendricks to the practice squad. The 34-year-old veteran gives the Rams another option as they prepare for Monday night’s matchup with Buffalo.

Kendricks brings 11 seasons of NFL experience and could provide immediate familiarity if Los Angeles needs him quickly. The Rams are also hopeful Aaron Donald can return after the back injury that kept him out of Sunday’s comeback victory over Philadelphia.

Los Angeles improved to 2-2 behind Puka Nacua’s return and now gets another major test against a Buffalo team coming off its first loss. Donald’s availability will matter considerably more than any Tuesday roster addition, but Kendricks gives the Rams another veteran option before facing Josh Allen.

Thursday Night Football Begins to Take Shape

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Dallas Cowboys — Thursday, 8:15 PM ET

Week 5 opens in Dallas with two teams that entered October moving in very different directions. Dallas has won two of its last three to reach 2-2, while Tampa Bay remains winless after dropping its first four games.

The Buccaneers are again preparing around the possibility that Baker Mayfield will miss another game because of the dislocated thumb that sidelined him in Week 4. Mayfield did not practice Tuesday, while safety Antoine Winfield Jr. also remained out with a rib injury. Dallas guard Tyler Smith was limited as he works back from his thumb injury, while linebacker DeMarvion Overshown and cornerback Cobie Durant did not participate.

Dallas has already made one aggressive move to strengthen its defense by acquiring Joey Porter Jr. last week. Thursday gives the Cowboys a chance to move above .500 for the first time this season before getting an extended break ahead of Week 6.

Lane Johnson’s retirement removes considerably more than a starting right tackle from the Eagles. Philadelphia is losing one of the structural pieces around which its offense has been built for more than a decade at the exact moment Barkley, Bigsby and Smith are already dealing with injuries.

Baltimore and Washington face a different version of the same problem. The Ravens may have to protect a division lead without Jackson, while the Commanders suddenly need Daniels’ recovery to accelerate because Mariota is now injured too.

Week 5 has not started yet, but several teams are already finding out that October will be less about the roster they built and more about how effectively they can rebuild it while the season is happening.

This report includes information from: NFL.com, Reuters.com, PhiladelphiaEagles.com, Washington Commanders reporting, ArizonaCardinals.com, Jaguars.com, Buccaneers.com, DallasCowboys.com and official NFL injury and transaction reports.