Lane Johnson doing his best to “validate right tackles”

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The Associated Press’ All-Pro team only recently began differentiating between right tackle and left tackle on its ballot.

As recently as five years ago, left tackles earned both All-Pro tackle spots.

The Pro Bowl, though, still does not separate right tackles from left tackles. That means most Pro Bowl tackles are left tackles.

“It’s hard getting here, I feel, as a right tackle,” Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson said, via Zach Berman of TheAthletic.com.

To Johnson’s point, five of the six offensive tackles on the original Pro Bowl list play the left side. Johnson replaced Green Bay left tackle David Bakhtiari on Monday.

“I’m just trying to validate right tackles — that’s really it,” Johnson said. “It’s still seen as a left tackle’s game. I’m trying to change that.”

The Eagles showed their appreciation for a job well done in November, making Johnson the league’s highest-paid offensive lineman with a four-year, $72 million deal.

Johnson calls 2019 “probably my best season to date” and admits he was not happy when he learned he was only an alternate for the all-star game.

Indeed, right tackle no longer is an afterthought for NFL teams considering Johnson has faced DeMarcus Lawrence, Danielle Hunter, Khalil Mack, Von Miller, J.J. Watt and Cameron Jordan in his career.

It took longer than Johnson wanted, but he now is a Pro Bowler for the third time.