Chip Kelly Still Has Confidence in Lane Johnson
Philadelphia, PA (CBS) — With Lane Johnson suspended for the first four regular-season games for violating the NFL's banned-substance policy, Eagles' coach Chip Kelly still feels the second-year right tackle is improving, despite working with the second team.
"He's doing a really good job," Kelly said about Johnson, who has been replaced by Allen Barbre during training camp because of the suspension. "I think one of the byproducts is that it's probably beneficial he's not with [guard] Todd [Herremans] all the time, because Todd, being the older guy, a lot of times makes all the calls on the right side.
"Lane's forced to kind of be a little bit more vocal. So there is a development going on there, and he's working extremely hard for the time we have him. We get him from now until the end of camp right when we break for the first game. He'll be gone for that time and he won't be allowed to be in the facility."
Barbre, meanwhile, is getting the opportunity to work with the ones at right tackle since he'll be playing there when the season begins.
"Allen's doing a really nice job," Kelly said. "I think he's very experienced, as I said the other day. The biggest thing for him is getting comfortable. Being more in a right‑handed stance because he's on the right side.
"He spent a predominant amount of time on the left side, whether it was left guard or left tackle, but he has rotated in probably a little bit more at guard. Last year, he did play for us at tackle in the Packers game, but he's really transitioned well over there, and so far it's been pretty positive for him. too."
Kelly said center-guard Julian Vandervelde sat out Wednesday's practice with a back ailment, but could be back to practice on Thursday. When Kelly was asked if Vandervelde was suffering from the same back injury from last year, Kelly said it was a "separate" injury.
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