Eagles offensive tackle Lane Johnson understands critics will think he used an illegal drug to get bigger and stronger during the offseason.

Out of work  this September.

So he tried to set the record straight upon reporting to training camp Friday.

Johnson said he was away from the team last April when he took a drug prescribed by a family physician without contacting team trainer Chris Peduzzi to see if it was on the banned list of substances.

 
While Johnson wouldn't reveal the drug because of what he said were the orders of head coach Chip Kelly, he suggested it would be a reach to say the Eagles had a problems with PEDs. Johnson and teammate Jake Knott have been suspended four games for violating the NFL policy.

"There's a list of like 100 or 200 banned substances you can't take," Johnson said. "They're all over the building. It's just something where I think athletes kind of get carried away a little bit. Obviously substances like that aren't FDA regulated so it's real easy to take something maybe you're not aware of. But that's no excuse. At our meetings all the time they tell us to talk to the trainer and that's something I didn't do."

Johnson can participate in training camp and the preseason games but cannot be on the premises most of the month of September.

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