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Eagles' Lane Johnson awaiting outcome of Tuesday's PED appeal

LANE JOHNSON'S appeal on his pending 10-game performance-enhancing drug suspension was scheduled to be heard Tuesday morning in New York.

Eagles offensive tackle Lane Johnson gets ready to block Steelers linebacker Arthur Moats.
Eagles offensive tackle Lane Johnson gets ready to block Steelers linebacker Arthur Moats.Read moreClem Murray / Staff Photographer

LANE JOHNSON'S appeal on his pending 10-game performance-enhancing drug suspension was scheduled to be heard Tuesday morning in New York.

If precedent holds, no announcement will be made for a week or so, and Johnson will be able to start at right tackle this Sunday in Detroit. The Eagles practiced with Johnson in his usual spot on Monday, when they returned from their bye week, players said.

When the suspension - which could be reduced on appeal - begins, the plan is for left guard Allen Barbre to move to right tackle, and for Stefen Wisniewski to replace Barbre.

It isn't clear on what grounds Johnson is basing his appeal. He has said he tested positive for banned peptides in June, after using an amino acid supplement he said did not list all its ingredients on the label. The NFL takes the position that players are responsible for what they ingest, regardless of what labels say.

Johnson, who served a four-game suspension in 2014 for what he has said was Adderall, has not spoken with reporters the past few weeks, since his suspension was confirmed. Right guard Brandon Brooks said Monday that Johnson isn't, "down in the dumps or anything" as he faces the possibility of a long absence.

Johnson has been the Eagles' most dominant o-lineman this season. The unit played very well in the Birds' shocking 34-3 waxing of Pittsburgh Sept. 25.

"It's unfortunate, is what it is. He's a really good player," Brooks said. "When he's not out there, he'll definitely be missed."

In 2014, Johnson was barred from the practice facility during his suspension, and then-guard Todd Herremans relayed information to him. It isn't clear how that will work this time; back then, Johnson was starting his second season, with sympathetic veterans eager to help him along. That's no longer the exact vibe.

"Lane is a grown-ass man. It is up to him, no matter what happens, to stay involved," Brooks said.

Birdseed

Left guard Allen Barbre said he was fined $18,000 for a leg whip in the Pittsburgh game. Barbre said he will appeal, and that it was actually a cut block . . . Corner Leodis McKelvin (hamstring) and tight end Zach Ertz (displaced rib) returned to practice and intend to play this week. The prognosis might be slightly more guarded for McKelvin, who said he would "come back Wednesday and test it out again." . . . Corner JaCorey Shepherd, dropped from the practice squad last week for guard Darrell Greene, then brought back at Greene's expense Monday, said he was told to stay around, that he would be back, so he did. The Eagles seem to want to keep both players, but haven't cleared practice squad space, so they're more or less job-sharing . . . Asked if defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz is excited to be returning to Detroit, where he was the Lions' head coach from 2009-13, Fletcher Cox said: "Jim's excited every week . . . Jim's going to be Jim."

@LesBowen

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